Epilogue 2: Together We Stand
by The White Guardian
Summary: Distress signals leading nowhere, a solar system infested with pirates, a broken ace pilot searching the stars for the one he loves, a twisted bounty hunter, a silent lover pursuing their best friend/crush out of fear of them getting hurt, a hero deciding to help a stranger, none of them has any idea of the titanic war that's coming, one that might tear the whole universe asunder.
1. Meetings in the middle of nowhere

**AT LAST, IT'S BEGINNING! EPILOGUE 2!**

 **Oh, I'm so exited to get this story going! It's been one year since I posted the first chapter of Epilogue 1, so this chapter also marks the first anniversary of the Epilogue series. A moment of silence for Hypernova though, who did not live to see his first anniversary in the archive.**

 **But there are plenty of new OC's incoming! Among them are OC's named after those or from those who correctly guessed that this story would be a crossover with Star Fox.**

 **A warning though: there will be major spoilers and this story will not make sense for those who haven't read 'Epilogue' and 'Epilogue one-point-five: how it all began' in the Ratchet & Clank FanFiction archive.**

 **Also, let me take a quick moment to reply to the reviews on the last chapter of Epilogue 1.5.**

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 **Reviews**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was great, I can't wait for March 10th. : )_ "  
Well, guess what today is? I couldn't wait for this day to come either! Enjoy!**

 **zenith88: "** ** _Again a very nice chapter. You could really feel the disappointment from Angela about not getting her parents back. Other than that i have the slightest feeling Alister may could be Angelas father, but that's only a vague guessing. Well, i definately stay tuned._ "  
Thanks! And yeah... forgive me, Angela... anyhow, only time will tell if your assumption is correct, I won't spoil anything on Angela's family. Not yet. Also, I hope this chapter will live up to your expectations. Enjoy!**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Man...that was a finale all right. Can't say my prediction was right. (Wanted to meet Angela's parents)  
Anyway, "Oh, tea. It has been such a long time!" Best scare ever. You almost killed me.  
Another gem of wisdom from a guy who loves his tea: "...but in the end, it was you who let Clank change you." Deep.  
Just got to talk to his parents, next thing he knows...there's trouble. Classic.  
I like that Kaden was a racer. Fits his character...from what we know...and you added.  
Granted, that whole scene was hilarious.  
Can't wait for the future.  
Max out_"  
Well, you will meet Angela's parents eventually. But if Angela will meet them in life or death I cannot say, only time knows. Perhaps Travel The Days could help? Speaking of which, yesterday was my birthday and I got a PS4! And now, I seriously cannot wait for April 20th because that day the Ratchet & Clank PS4 game will come out! So... may I borrow Travel the Days for a sec?**

 **And yeah, I just HAD to add that scare! And yeah, deep stuff, but hey, it's Orvus alright? And I wanted to prove Ratchet right: "I can't catch a break!" And I also decided against making Kaden a mechanic. It'd be much more fun if he was a racer, he'd be handy with his wrench and most Lombaxes seem to enjoy travelling at high speeds, so I made Kaden a racer. But I have another reason for doing so, you will find out later. Again, Travel The Days?**

 **And wait no more, Epilogue 2 is beginning at last! Enjoy!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _This was a wonderful chapter! Keep up the good work!  
P. S. Nefarious owes me eight billion bolts now!_"  
Thanks! And Nefarious, you better start payin'! He can't say that he hasn't got the money though, I mean, in A Crack in Time he built an entire space station for crying out loud (why do villains like building stuff that resembles themselves?)**

 **Anyhow, enjoy!**

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 **Before we start, from now on, at the end of each chapter, I might list some soundtracks/songs that fit some parts of the story. For example, here are a few soundtracks that fit characters/events in Epilogue 1:**

 **Hypernova/Simon's theme: 'Main Theme' from the game Space Engineers**

 **Hypernova Vs. Black Hole: 'Final Destination' from the game Suprt Smash Bros Brawl**

 **(Might change) Black Hole's theme: 'Danger Zone' from the game Space Engineers**

 **It's not a requirement to listen to those soundtracks while reading the story, it might just make it a bit more fun.**

 **With all that said, please enjoy the start of the grand sequel!**

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Ratchet groaned in frustration. Why was he here again?

While flying back home from another job well done, Aphelion had received a... 'strange' distress signal. Just a weird sound repeating itself over and over again. What was even weirder is that Ratchet knew for sure that at least 99.9% of all ships didn't use that frequency, because most ships couldn't receive it. It was so ultra-high that even Aphelion had trouble decoding it, but she managed to do it nevertheless.

Ratchet had flown to the source of the signal, but had found nothing. Nothing at all.

He was currently visually searching the area for something that could have been the source of the signal, but so far he had found nothing.

Ratchet was about to give up and fly back home when Aphelion said something.

"Ratchet, it seems I am running low on fuel. I actually doubt we can fly back to Veldin."

Ratchet silently cursed. "Damn it. I actually planned to refuel on the planet the signal came from... if it actually _existed_!"

He sighed. "Is there someplace we can refuel?"

"Negative. No planets nearby. The local solar system also has no known planets."

Ratchet grumbled. "Oh, _damn it_!"

But that's when he saw a glistering in the distance. "Aphelion, I think I just saw a ship at two."

"Scanning... an unknown type of ship is indeed flying past mere cubits from here."

"Give it a call."

"Out of reach. Please fly closer to the ship."

"Could you lock onto it so I know where it's headed?"

Aphelion did as she was told. Ratchet flew towards the spacecraft in the distance.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a silver spaceship roughly in the shape of an A, with the cockpit in the middle and two large wings that were folded backwards.

As soon as he got within range, Ratchet gave the ship a call. But, instead of answering, the craft did something strange.

It's wings moved forward and unfolded themselves, the craft shot forward, and if that wasn't bad enough, it turned around suddenly and opened fire at Aphelion. "Hey!" Ratchet yelped in surprise as he pulled on the controls like a madman, barely avoiding the torrent of plasma sent his way. "What's _their_ problem?!"

After dodging fire for over five minutes, Ratchet suddenly received a call from the pilot. Ratchet immediately patched it through. "What is your problem?!" Ratchet yelled as soon as the connection was established. Though he couldn't see the pilot, he could hear a strong, male voice.

"You're better than most space pirates I've encountered, I'll give you that. But there is no escape for you. By locking onto my ship and choosing to try to rob me, you've made the biggest and last mistake of your life!"

"Space pirate?! What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Don't try to get smart with me, scum. You're going down."

Ratchet was getting fed up with this guy. "Hey, egghead?! Haven't you noticed that I **never attacked you?!** For the past five minutes _you_ have been attacking _me_ , not the other way around! I only wanted to ask if you knew a place nearby where I could refuel!"

The pilot enabled video-communication and stared at Ratchet. "Hmm, you don't look like a pirate..."

"That's because I _am_ no pirate! Does _this_ look like a pirate ship to you?!"

The pilot that had tried to kill Ratchet had orange-brown fur. He had golden-brown white-highlighted hair that had been cut into a crew cut, and he had strong, determined green eyes. It was a fox.

He was wearing a white jacket with a green vest underneath, and he was wearing a special headgear of some sorts. "May I ask why you are so hellbent on trying to kill me?" Ratchet asked.

"I won't fall for that..."

"Just tell me where I can refuel and I'll be on my way, dammit! Look, I just saved an entire planet, and now I really want to go home to my friends for a well-deserved break. I have absolutely no intention of taking **anything** from you!"

The fox frowned. "The most nearby planet would be Titania. There, I told you, now go."

Ratchet grinned sheepishly. "Well... there is one small problem... I don't know this solar system, nor does my ship."

"Argh! How long are you going to bother me?"

"Could you show me the way? Please?"

"How do I know you won't double-cross me and attempt to kill me?"

"I can pay?"

The fox looked convinced. "No pirate would say that. Still, you'll fly in front of me and I'll keep my ship locked onto yours for the entire trip. Don't try anything funny, okay?"

"Gotcha. Now where do I need to go?"

"Seventy-five degrees to the right, then one degree downwards."

"Thanks!" Ratchet said as he reorientated his ship and flew off, the fox on his tail.

After fifteen minutes of flying, a planet came into view. It's surface was covered in vast orange-reddish deserts, the atmosphere was deep crimson and orbiting it was a set of massive rings. Ratchet couldn't help but be impressed by this massive world. "Head to coordinates -2486.1, 14.2, and remember, don't try anything funny."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time too!" Ratchet yelled, getting fed up with the other pilot's behavior.

After entering the atmosphere and flying over the dunes of Titania for five minutes, a massive construct came into view. By the looks of it, it was a miniature city inside a gigantic glass dome. "You can land and refuel just behind the western gate. Remember, I'm watching you."

Ratchet eyerolled and steered Aphelion to said entrance to the dome. He flew into the airlock, the fox behind him, and after a few seconds, Aphelion informed him that the atmosphere surrounding the ship had become breathable. The doors on the other side of the airlock opened up, and Ratchet flew out. He flew to his right and landed Aphelion on a refueling pad. He got out, but as he was about to begin refueling Aphelion he could feel cold metal being pressed against the back of his skull.

"And now we'll have a little talk about what you're doing here." the vulpine pilot said behind Ratchet.

Ratchet snapped. He ducked and kicked the left knee of the vulpine pilot with such force that the pilot tumbled over. Ratchet quickly grabbed the man's gun and aimed it at the pilot, who looked up at Ratchet in defeat.

"I am getting so very tired of your behavior, pal." Ratchet growled, grabbing the blaster a bit tighter.

The pilot looked up at him. "Do it. Do me that favor."

Suddenly, all of Ratchet's anger was replaced with confusion. "Wait, wha-"

"I said do it. Shoot me. End it."

"Are you insane?"

"No. In fact, I am perfectly sane. I just don't have a reason to live anymore."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"But... there surely are people who will miss you."

"You really think?" the fox said with tears in his eyes. "Do you really think?!"

"I'm certain."

"Then you are wrong. I have nothing to live for."

"Why is that?"

"Simple. The woman I love is gone."

"Gone as in... dead?"

"As good as. A long time ago, I made a very, very stupid decision, and she left me because of it. I've been searching for her ever since, but no, nothing. I've been searching every square inch of every planet in Lylat, and I haven't found her anywhere. Can you imagine how hopeless I feel? How tired I feel? Please... please let me die."

"No."

The pilot growled. "KILL ME, DAMMIT!"

"No. I've got a better plan."

The vulpine pilot stayed silent. "I'll help you find her."

"R-really? But tha-that's crazy!"

"Without your help, I'd have run out of fuel, and I'd be hovering in space somewhere, waiting for death to come. I owe you my life, so the least I can do is lend a hand."

The vulpine pilot got up. "But I will need to know more about you." Ratchet said.

"Fair enough. Name's Fox."

"My name is Ratchet." Ratchet replied.

"Well, nice to meet you, and sorry for being such a douche earlier, Lylat's having trouble with pirates. My old buddy Falco and his team 'Star Falco' should be working on it, but I don't see much happening to be honest."

Ratchet nodded. "Well, I still don't know much about you."

"True. You see... I'm a celebrity in Lylat. It all began with my father, James McCloud. He founded the legendary Star Fox team, an elite commando unit of mercenaries-for-hire, originally working freelance. Although it may have seemed as if money only mattered to the Star Fox team, they would only accept missions with the goal to bring justice to evil. Anyhow, the team consisted of my father, James, his good friend Peppy Hare, and Pigma Dengar, who had proven himself to be a skilled pilot. They had a pretty good time together, that is, until strange activity was detected on Venom, a barren and poisonous planet close to Lylat, and also the planet where the evil, mad scientist Andross had been banished to. The Star Fox team were sent on a scouting mission, but upon arrival, Pigma betrayed the team, having received a 'better' offer from Andross. Peppy managed to escape, but my father... he wasn't as lucky. He died a hero."

Ratchet's ears lowered. "Oh. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks. Anyhow, upon returning, Peppy told me what happened, and I swore to get revenge on Andross and bring that lowlife Dengar to justice. I decided to reforge the Star Fox team, following in my father's footsteps. Although I offered the leadership role to Peppy, he politely declined the offer and told me to become the leader instead, and so I did. I hired the mechanical genius Slippy Toad, and my old friend and friendly rival Falco Lombardi. General Pepper, an old friend of my father who felt that James' death was his fault as he was the one who sent them on the mission, decided to take responsibility of my career.

A few years later, Andross launched a massive attack from Venom. Andross had found out that the world that everyone thought was barren and uninhabitable, turned out to be inhabited, and he had persuaded the natives into following his orders. Driven by madness and greed, be began to tear Lylat apart. That's when the new Star Fox team came in. As a team, we kicked Andross' sorry butt. As we reached Venom, we were being awaited by Andross' elite weapon Gorgon, as well as a rivaling mercenary-for-hire team, though this team, Star Wolf, didn't quite mind to work for the wrong people. What's more, Pigma had been able to join the team. We defeated Gorgon, before confronting Star Wolf on Venom. As Peppy, Slippy and Falco kept Star Wolf busy, I entered the mastermind's underground base. Apparently the various dangerous experiments had taken their toll on Andross, for he had been reduced to a flying head with two mechanical hands. Upon destroying the hands, Andross revealed his true form, a flying brain with two eyeballs connected to the brain through some sort of energy-beam. He put up quite the fight, but I managed to destroy him. Andross then tried to blow up the base, stating that 'if he died, I would go with him'. What's more, his base was one gigantic maze of tunnels."

Ratchet frowned. "Darn."

"Indeed. But that's where stuff got weird. Another ship came blasting out of nowhere, and through the communication channels it seemed to be my father. I didn't have time to talk or even wonder what the heck was happening, for everything around me was on fire. I followed my father's ship out of there, but as soon as he flew out of the base, he turned, flying out of sight for a split second. As I flew out just in time, I searched the area, but saw nobody, nor did my ship's radar show any ship save for Peppy, Falco and Slippy. What's more, when I told my teammates what I'd seen, I could see in their eyes that they were thinking that I had gone insane, and they told me that they hadn't seen anyone leaving the base save for me, and they had been keeping an eye on the base at all times."

"Strange."

"Indeed. Moving on, four years after Lylat's defeat, we got a distress signal from Katt Monroe, an old friend of Falco who had helped us on Zoness and Sector Z during Andross' invasion. Katt is... well... 'unique', she finds it great fun to call me 'little man' as well as hitting on Falco, much to Falco's annoyance. Anyhow, Falco left immediately to help Katt, even though the other members of the team, including me, didn't like it. Nevertheless, he flew away to help Katt. With no idea where our team member went, we flew to a research base on Titania, the planet we're currently on, and talked with the officer in charge, Commander Shears. He was willing to help us track down Falco, but in return we had to take out some remnants of Andross' forces who were trying to get away with some of Andross' research data. Upon confronting the Androssian vessel,t to my surprise, Falco came flying out and began to open fire on me. I was able to take down Falco, but upon returning to the Great Fox, a giant ship that used to be the mobile main base of operations for the Star Fox team, Peppy scolded me for fighting with Falco, and he was shocked when I told him that Falco had come flying out of the Androssian vessel, apparently having sided with them.

I became a bit suspicious of Shears' intentions, and thus I sent Slippy to investigate while I worked on figuring out what the hell was going on. As it turned out, I hadn't been sent to destroy some remnants of Andross' forces, but if Falco hadn't badly damaged my ship, I would have destroyed the Hot Rodders, Katt Monroe's team, and a team that Falco was in before he became a member of the Star Fox team. The Hot Rodders had no business with Andross, on the contrary, they had uncovered data that Shears was working on something that couldn't see the light of day. After ROB, the robot that kept the Great Fox running, analyzed the data and uncovered that the project was about creating a clone of Andross, and after learning that Slippy had been imprisoned in the base under Shears' command, Star Fox and the Hot Rodders cooperated on taking down Shears and preventing him from creating a clone of Andross. I and Shears had a sword duel, and in the end I won. However, while Slippy worked on stopping the maturing of the Andross clone, he accidentally sped up the process, and the Andross clone matured far enough to recognize me, and out of rage, he freed himself.

As Shears attempted to make a run for hit, he ended up getting crushed by the Andross clone. I'll spare you the details, but after taking care of Andross once again, Falco told me he needed some time off.

Four years after that, Star Fox wasn't doing very well, we hadn't had a paid mission since Andross' invasion. As I asked ROB if there were any jobs, he told me the answer was none, though he did tell me that he was concerned about this one planet, Dinosaur Planet, or Sauria. He showed me that Sauria seemed to be breaking apart. At that moment, Pepper gave us a call, asking us to save Sauria. I went planetside, though I was forbidden to take my blaster with me, because Pepper believed we had to save Sauria without relying on brute force once again. Upon landing, I found a rather awkward staff not too far from my landing site, and I decided to use it for protection. Sauria was breaking apart because a few powerful artifacts were not in place. Artifacts named 'spellstones' that were keeping the planet together, who had been removed by the evil General Scales. However, there was more to it. A vixen named Krystal, searching for answers about the mystery of her home planet's destruction, had landed on Sauria before my arrival because she had received a distress signal. She discovered that Shears was trying to take control of the planet, and decided to help by returning the powerful Krazoa spirits to Krazoa palace to turn the tides in the dinosaurs' favor, so Scales could be stopped. However, as she freed the first spirit, something pushed her forward into the spirit's path, resulting in her getting trapped inside a crystal at the top of Krazoa Palace until all Krazoa spirits had been returned. As I placed the first spellstone back where it belonged, the Krazoa spirit that Krystal had freed reached out to me, informing me that I had to free the other Krazoa spirits, or she would die.

After placing the second spellstone and collecting the fourth spirit, I placed the spellstone back where it belonged, but the planet did not reassemble. Realizing that I had to collect the other spirits, I found the fifth one and made my way to Krazoa palace, where I released the spirits. However, after learning that the last spirit's shrine was on top of the palace, I made myself to the top, only to be confronted by Scales. We battled, though for some reason, he suddenly released the last spirit, being commanded to do so by some strange voice that sounded quite familiar to me. Anyhow, next I freed Krystal, and my goodness was she beautiful. I seriously had never seen anyone more beautiful than her in my entire life, and I don't think I'll ever will. Moving on, the staff I found turned out to be Krystal's, but after giving her back her staff, the true enemy and the source of the voice that killed Scales, he was killed upon releasing the final spirit, showed itself. Andross again, this time in the form of the Krazoa god. He shot out into space, attempting to destroy the Lylat system, but I flew after him, and together with Falco, who came flying out of nowhere, we took him down. After returning to the Great Fox, Falco told me that he was rejoining. However, a few minutes later, Krystal came flying up, telling me that she hadn't thanked me for her help. I must admit, I had never stood so close to her... and I, err... my brain went jelly. I had no idea what to say. And, of course, my friends just _had_ to make fun of that."

Ratchet nodded. "This Krystal, is that who you're looking for?"

"The one and only. Krystal soon joined the Star Fox team because she liked how we stood for what was right in Lylat, taking Peppy's place as the fourth pilot. According to Peppy, he was getting too old for mercenary work, so it was about time for him to retire. However, he hasn't retired yet. Anyhow, skip ahead a few years, and we had just defended the Lylat system from the 'Anglar Blitz'. I... I was concerned for Krystal's safety so I kicked her off the team... and she hated me for it. And to torment me or because she just liked the skies too much, she joined Star Wolf. Star Wolf's leader, Wolf O' Donnell... let's say he and I got a long history, we're rivals, you see. Star Wolf had changed a lot, while the team originally consisted of Wolf, Leon, Pigma and Andrew, Pigma was kicked out because of his unreliability and Andrew had only gotten a place because he was Andross' nephew, but he was a horrible pilot, so he was kicked out the moment Andross' empire fell. Instead, Star Wolf had hired Krystal and Panther Caruso. And if Krystal joining Star Wolf wasn't bad enough already, Caruso also got an eye on her.

Then the Aparoids came, alien creatures from another solar system seeking to invade Lylat. We flew from planet to planet, destroying Aparoids everywhere before heading to the Aparoid Homeworld, unnamed at the time but now named 'Aparosis', and destroying the Queen Aparoid. After that... I offered Krystal to join Star Fox again. She accepted but... with the history between us, she couldn't really handle it, so she left again. She tried to join Star Wolf again, but she didn't find her place there either. What's more, rumors began to circle about her, slowly driving her to insanity. She vanished completely, and I've been looking for her ever since. As for what happened to Peppy, General Pepper was killed during the Aparoid invasion, and Peppy took his place."

Ratchet shook his head. "What a history."

"Tell me about it."

"Well, it's not like my history is any shorter."

"I told you about me, now it's your turn."

"Fair enough."

Ratchet cleared his throat. "I'm a Lombax."

"Okay... so?"

"Well, until fairly recently I was one of the few Lombaxes left. Lombaxes originate from the desert planet Fastoon in the Polaris galaxy. However, a long time ago, Polaris was being dominated by the Cragmites, ugly humanoid creatures that somewhat resembled various insects. Fed up with the Cragmites' cruel acting, the Lombaxes rebelled, defeated the Cragmites and banished them to another dimension. A few years later, a Cragmite egg was discovered in Lombax Trillium mines. Despite it being a Cragmite, the unborn child had nothing to do with the Cragmite domination, and the Lombaxes wouldn't let a child pay for the crimes of it's race. They raised the Cragmite as one of their own, but the Cragmite inevitably noticed that there were no other Cragmites. He began to dig, and soon enough he had found the reason of his race's near extinction.

Driven by the thirst for revenge, he made the Lombaxes an innocent-looking proposal. He had made several blueprints and schematics of various war-machines. He offered the Lombaxes the blueprints, if they granted him access to their technology so he could complete the designs. No Lombax trusted him... but one.

The Cragmite was given full access to the Lombax technology, and shortly after on my first birthday... the sky was put on fire as Tachyon attacked Fastoon with the Drophyds, ugly and weak fish-like creatures in control of the war machines he had designed. Millions of Lombaxes were hunted down and killed by monsters made with their own technology. Only ten percent managed to escape, using the same device they used to banish the Cragmites to flee to another dimension. I was sent away by my dying mother in an escape pod to planet Veldin, where I was found and brought to the orphanage. I had a horrible time there for six years, after which I was becoming suicidal because literally everyone there was bullying me. I escaped, and luckily for me I was found by a man named Simon Polaris. He adopted me and looked after me for years, that is until Tachyon found me. He sacrificed himself to save me, or so I thought.

I stayed on Veldin, and by studying various crashed spacecrafts I learned how they worked, and became a mechanic. After a while I had finally gotten all the parts I needed, or so I thought, and built my ship, but it did not work due to one crucial component missing: the robotic ignition system. As I was silently cursing about this new obstacle, a rocket fell from the sky just two miles from my home, so I went there to check it out. As it turned out, it was a small robot. I brought the robot to my home and fixed it, and as I worked on my ship, trying to find a workaround for the ignition system, the robot wake up. He scared the hell out of me when he popped up behind me all of a sudden. As it turned out, he was a defective security drone manufactured by the Blarg, and he had found a recording of a message from the Blarg to the citizens of planet Novalis. I'll spare you the details, but the Blarg were telling the people of Novalis to get off their planet, for the Blargain homeworld had become too polluted for habitation, so the Blarg were going to build a new planet by tearing pieces of other planets and putting them together. I made a deal with Clank, I nicknamed the robot Clank for it had no name, that he would start my ship and I would help him search for the galaxy's greatest hero at the time, Captain Qwark.

When we finally found Qwark, he told me that, for my efforts, he was willing to make me a hero, and all I had to do was beat his obstacle course. He quickly shoved us out of his trailer after telling me that, and told us to meet him at his base on Umbris. After passing the obstacle course, we met up with Qwark, but he betrayed us and left us for dead. Clank and I escaped, and continued. I was bittered by Qwark's betrayal, and because it was Clank's fault that we fell into his trap, but Clank would refuse to start the ship unless I went exactly where he told me to.

But then we reached Oltanis Orbit, where Clank and I found a rather... disturbing message. It was a news broadcast live from Gorda City, planet Oltanis. What was so disturbing was that Gorda City was being attacked, and frankly more than half of the city had already been reduced to rubble. It was then when I realized how blind I had been to chase Qwark while the real threat had been Drek. However, upon landing on Oltanis, the thunderstorm going on struck Clank, and he was nearly killed. He stayed in the ship, and I explored Oltanis. I managed to find information that Drek was building special gigantic war-machines on planet Quartu, so Clank and I went there, but in order to explore the facility, the one that, ironically, Clank had been built in, we needed a gadget called a Hologuise, and we managed to find one on planet Kalebo 3 after destroying the war-machines with an unusual hidden upgrade of Clank, apparently when standing on a special pad he could toggle between 'regular' Clank and Giant Clank, an enormous metal titan with triple-layered raritanium skin, Ion Blast bombs, missiles and strong punches to back it all up.

Anyhow, we explored the facility, where Clank's own mother told us that Drek was planning to destroy the planet that had been my home for so many years, Veldin. We tracked Drek down and took him out, destroying 'his planet' in the process.

Shortly after my next adventure began. Mere hours after being interviewed by the television show 'Behind the Hero', Clank and I were suddenly teleported to a ship in orbit around Veldin, one that sped off to another galaxy almost immediately. The one who 'abducted' us made himself known, the CEO of the largest company in the Bogon galaxy, Mr. Fizzwidget. He told us that not much earlier a secret project had been stolen from Megacorp HQ, and that he wanted to hire us to get it back. Clank wasn't that interested, so he was offered a home in Megapolis on planet Endako for the time being. However, we met up again after the thief I had been tracking had kidnapped Clank and had electrocuted him in a desperate attempt to scare me off. I fixed Clank and together we went on a manhunt to bring the thief to justice. We finally caught up with him on planet Siberius, where he barely managed to reclaim the item stolen from Megacorp, a prototype of a genetically engineered pet. The thief escaped however, but with the pet in our possession, we had no reason to pursue him further.

We met up wih Mr. Fizzwidget on the coordinates he sent us, somewhere in the deserts of planet Tabora. However... Fizzwidget kinda crushed our ship upon landing, he landed on top of it. He assured us that it was ' _insured_ ', took the pet and entered his ship again. Clank and I took the back seats. However, Fizzwidget said something about 'flight music' and next thing we know Clank and I were flying through the air because Fizzwidget had activated the back ejector seats. We landed in a cave through a sinkhole in the roof, and we battled our way out through the old mines that had been infested with local unfriendly wildlife. Upon exiting the cave, we were ambushed by the thief, who held us at gunpoint and demanded the pet back, but he was too late. He gave us three seconds, but as he was about to reach one, he slipped and fell.

Turns out, it was a Lombax. What's more, it was a she."

"You're kidding." Fox replied.

"Nope, I'm not. Anyhow, as it turns out, she was a geneticist working on the pet, officially named 'Protopet'. It was a success, save for the fact that the Protopet was highly aggressive, and her task was to fix that behavior. She was close to succeeding, when Fizzwidget pushed up the public release date of the Protopet all of a sudden. When she argued with him that the Protopet was not ready for distribution, she was kicked off the project. Knowing that the entire galaxy would be at risk if the Protopet were to be distributed in it's current state, she broke into Megacorp HQ and stole the Protopet, and thanks to our work the galaxy was at risk once again. She did still have her ID badge, and after setting up a plan we broke into Megacorp HQ. Well, she broke in, I kinda walked through the front doors whilst blowing up every hostile robot in my path. Anyhow, according to the Lombax geneticist, Angela Cross, the 'original' Protopet was being kept at the heart of the facility, where it would be cloned over and over again to create more Protopets. She had already designed and built a device capable of fixing the Protopet, but she had to reach it first, and that's where I came in.

However, upon reaching the Protopet, we were ambushed and held at gunpoint by various robotic commandos. They took the device from her, and Fizzwidget came walking in. He then took off his disguise, revealing himself to be Captain Qwark. The real Fizzwidget had been tied up by Qwark and locked in a supply closet. Qwark then activated a camera and took Angela's device, the Helix-O-Morph, and attempted to frame us, making it seem as if Angela, Clank and I were behind the Protopet attacks and that he, the 'hero' Captain Qwark, was there to save the day. Qwark's plan backfired when he attempted to cure the Protopet, instead of becoming harmless, it grew to an enormous size before swallowing Qwark and running off. While Angela attempted to find the real Fizzwidget, Clank and I battled the King Protopet, and after taking it down, it spit out Qwark who, in turn, spit out the Helix-O-Morph. Angela took a look at her device, trying to find out what was wrong, and upon being asked if she could fix it, she said that she could likely fix the problem but that it would take months of research. Luckily, Clank found the issue, Qwark had put in the batteries backwards."

Fox laughed. "What a story so far, and something tells me this is only the tip of the iceberg."

"Yep. A few months after defeating the Protopet..."

Ratchet told Fox everything. Dr. Nefarious' attempts to take over the Solana galaxy and turn everyone into robotic lifeforms, Gleeman Vox and Dreadzone capturing Ratchet, Clank and their gadget expert (ergo nerd) friend Big Al and making them fight for their lives in everlasting arena battles, Tachyon's attack on Metropolis and the inevitable showdown between the last Lombax and the Cragmite prince, the search for Clank, the Zoni, the Clock, shifting time itself, planet Magnus and the collectors, Stuart Zurgo and the Grungarians, the Nethers, and last but not least, the adventure with Hypernova and Angela.

Fox laughed. "And I thought my story was long."

"Oh, I've even cut out some parts."

"Dang. Anyhow, nice to meet you. For real this time. And thanks for giving me hope again. I'm not one to get a mental breakdown like I had earlier, but if you've been searching for years without success... you begin to lose hope."

"I know. I'd been looking for my race ever since I was a child. Thanks to Hypernova though, Lombaxes have returned. Even the ones that everyone believed to have died."

"Hm. Wish I'd met him, perhaps he would've been able to bring my parents back too."

"Isn't your mother still alive?"

"She was killed when I was just a baby. Andross again. Apparently my dad wasn't the only one with an eye for her, and driven by jelousy Andross had planted a bomb in my father's car. However, my mother started the car instead of my father, and... she was probably thinking about going back to work, watching her son grow, that stuff. I hope she was dead before she realized what was happening."

Ratchet shook his head. "If I ever meet that Andross guy..."

"Don't. He's dead, Ratchet, don't get mad about the things he's done. He's not worth even a second of your time."

"True. Anyhow, have you got any leads on Krystal?"

"No, and that's the frustrating part. It is as if she vanished completely. I was going to search on Corneria again."

"Corneria?"

"Corneria is home to Corneria City, the capital city of Lylat. It's basically the heart of the Lylat system."

"I see. Corneria it is, then."

* * *

Meanwhile, on planet Veldin, an aqua blue Lombaxian Starfighter touched down in front of a lonely garage on the edge of the Kyzil Plateau. The cockpit opened up, and the pilot climbed out. Long golden hair waved in the wind, and aqua blue eyes scanned their surroundings for the man the pilot wanted to speak to.

Angela shook her head, and walked over to the garage. She knocked on the garage doors. "Ratchet?"

No answer. She knocked again. "Ratchet, please, answer me. Please, let me say I'm sorry."

Again, no answer. Angela was getting a bit worried. She got back to her ship, and activated it's scanner feature, something she had designed herself. Aphelion was not in the garage, the scanner revealed. Angela was getting really worried now, perhaps Ratchet had packed his bags and left?

Her eyes filled with determination as she started up her ship's engines. She flew out of Veldin's atmosphere as fast as she could, and used the scanner to track Aphelion's flight path. She would retrace every step of Ratchet until she would find him, even if it would take her a million years.

"Perihelion."

"Yes?" she ship spoke up.

"Engage the warp drive."

"Certainly. Accelerating to approximately 0.5 gigaparsecs per second..."

Stars became a blur of white as Angela shot through space at dozens of times the speed of light, and after a while, she had reached the end of Aphelion's flight path. She scanned her surroundings, there was no sight of the deep crimson Lombaxian starfighter, and Angela certainly didn't like that. But then she noticed a glistering out of the corner of her eye. A lonely starfighter was crossing the cosmos, but it was being attacked by six other ships. Angela flew over to them immediately, and opened fire on the attackers, recognizing the six attacking ships as space pirate vessels.

She destroyed one of them, but it's comrades immediately came after Angela, seeking revenge. Angela performed a flawless aileron roll whilst opening fire, Perihelion's Quantum Barrier taking the damage while she fought back. The ship that had been under attack used the distraction immediately by letting loose a barrage of plasma fire on one of the ships, causing it to explode. The other ships soon followed the same fate.

When all pirates had been destroyed, Angela called the other ship. The other pilot accepted the call. "You okay?" Angela asked.

"Fool. I didn't need your help." the pilot said. It was a vixen with deep blue fur with a tiny hint of violet, but that was all Angela could see, the rest was hidden by the pilot's visor and helmet.

"You're welcome." Angela muttered. "How frequent are pirate attacks here actually?"

"Very frequent as of recently. Star Falco is _supposed_ to get rid of 'em, but knowing Falco he isn't doing such a great job at it. He should really let Katt do the strategic part, since his ego easily outnumbers his brains."

"Well, I'm gonna be here for a while, so perhaps I should restock on ammo. Is there a depot somewhere around here?"

"Nearest planet with ammo for sale would be Titania. Anything else?"

"Well... I don't even know where Titania is. In fact, until a few seconds ago I wasn't even aware of it's existence. Could you show me the way?"

"Not gonna happen. I've got work to do."

"What, even after I just saved your behind there?"

"I. Did. Not. Need. Your. Help! Get it into that brain of yours!"

The vixen sighed. "You did help me out though, I suppose it's only fair that I show you the way. You better hurry up though, waste any more of my time and I'll shoot you myself."

"Gotcha." Angela said, and broke the connection. The vixen frowned. "The hell is that... and what do they want? I've got enough enemies... a quick mindscan wouldn't hurt..." the pilot muttered, and reached out to Angela's mind, but she was too far away."

"Darn it." the pilot hissed. "I'll scan on Titania."

As the two ships entered Titania's atmosphere, on the other side of the planet, two other ships began to warp, setting sail for Corneria.

Angela called the other pilot again. "Hey."

"What?"

"Thanks."

The pilot frowned. "Why are you in Lylat anyway?" the pilot asked, carefully digging for more info.

"I'm searching for a good friend of mine who apparently flew to a location close to where I found you before his trail went cold."

The pilot grinned. " _Jackpot._ " the pilot thought. "Hey, you do know who you're talking to, eh?"

"Nope, not a clue."

"I'm a bounty hunter. If there's anyone who can find your friend, it'd be me. For a small... 'fee', of course. And you must swear to protect me."

Angela bit her lip. She really didn't want a bounty hunter on Ratchet's tail, but on the other hand, Ratchet could be in danger. She sighed. "What fee?"

"Five hundred credits per day."

Angela frowned. "Credits?"

"The currency used in Lylat?"

"Well... I do have bolts, I'll see if I can trade them somewhere. Otherwise, can I pay you in bolts, the currency used by the rest of the galaxy?"

"Rest of the galaxy? What have you been smokin', pal?"

"Absolutely nothing. Bolts are a currency used in three galaxies: Solana, Bogon and Polaris."

"Bolts as a currency? You're crazy."

"On the contrary."

The vixen suddenly got an idea. "I believe you."

"You do? Despite your earlier skepticism?"

"Yes, I do believe you, and bolts are just fine." the vixen said with an evil grin. The moment they would land on Titania, she would turn this stranger's mind upside down. If she was telling the truth, if bolts were indeed a currency in three galaxies, then those three galaxies must have access to intergalactic travel, the chance of three galaxies all selecting the same currency independently is astronomically small. And if they did indeed possess intergalactic travel, then who knows what advanced weaponry they might have? If the stranger was lying, she would steal the stranger's ship.

The vixen chuckled evilly. Nobody, absolutely nobody, was going to fool her, the most feared bounty hunter in Lylat.

Kursed.

* * *

 **Alright, how was that for a starting chapter! Mind you, this story is only just beginning. It might even be longer than Epilogue 1. Because I'm so exited for this story, I might actually have a new chapter this Saturday! I said 'might', so please don't get mad at me when I don't have a new chapter by then, I aim to make all of these chapters at least 4000 words.  
**


	2. In Pursuit

**I'm so looking forward to writing this story, I seriously cannot describe it with words (which might be a bit ironic for a writer), in fact, I've already finished chapter 3! I might, underline might, upload it on next Wednesday rather than Saturday, but I'm still not sure whether or not I should do that.**

 **All that aside, before we get back to the action, please let me take a moment to reply to the reviews.**

 **Reviews for Epilogue 2:**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _IT'S HERE! (Screams in excitement)  
The only problem is, I now have to look up Star Fox so I can understand this story better. Other than that, beeping spiz. That's right, spiz. It's what happens when shiz went super...I'm just saying. (Wink wink)  
Can't wait to see more. You have my fav, follow and reviews.  
Max out.  
P.S. Sure. I'll ask the Agent Of Time...see if he can let you borrow it. Hope you'll get what you're looking for.  
P.P.S. Together We Stand. Now THAT is deep._"  
Glad you like it so far! And, 'spiz'? Heh, I still can't help but chuckle, and it's been a week... I suppose the Agent Of Time said 'no', for there certainly is no ancient artifact capable of breaking through time itself here. I guess I'll have to wait a bit longer for R&C PS4 then... which proves to be quite the task, since I'm very, very hyped for both the movie and the game. And the title indeed has several meanings, I'll sum 'em all up at the end of the story.**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _I enjoyed reading this chapter and can't wait for the next one. I will admit that I've never played star fox, so I am unfamiliar with some of the characters and other things that have to do with the game, but I'm still going to stick with this story the best I can until the end. : )_ "  
Well, you'll get to know the characters of Star Fox to a certain degree as the story progresses. It might be worth reading through the possible endings of Star Fox Command though, it'll tell you quite a lot more about this 'Kursed' figure. Anyhow, I'm glad you like the story so far, and I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _This was an amazing chapter! Ironically enough, I was just infiltrating Nefarious's base and impersonating the crazy robot!_ "  
Thank you! What you describe, impersonating Nefarious, actually gave me quite the flashback, it reminded me of ACiT where you have to do just that: infiltrate the base, pretend to be Nefarious, blow some stuff up. Especially that last part is so amusing. And commanding everyone to dance, of course. Anyhow, glad you like the story so far, and I hope you'll like this chapter just as much.**

 **Reviews for Epilogue:**

 **saviour of worlds:**

 **Chapter 1: "** ** _Well, that went wrong rather quickly! I love it already! A story that doesn't take 70 chapters for the fun to come in! I think I'll read the entire story in less then a month. And it looks like we finaly know where max hast been the last few years. (_)_ "  
Hey, a new reviewer! Glad you like the story so far, and yeah, I like to get down to business rather quickly in my stories, spice things up immediately. It's more fun to get the party started than to stall the inevitable if you ask me, but in the end, it depends on the story and the plot how to start. As for the whereabouts of Max Apogee, you'll find out more eventually...**

 **Chapter 2: "** ** _typical pirate behavior; drunk and stupid. I wonder how a not-drunk pirate would behave.  
A diffrent portal you say..._"  
Probably a sober pirate would behave a bit wiser, although they must be pretty stupid to get drunk all the time, so I doubt the difference in behaviour would be that great. And yes, a different portal..."**

 **Chapter 3: "** ** _the white figure said he needed ratchet. though he slaps him unconscious. Is he the good, or the bad guy? White is a good guy color, right?_ "  
Well, he didn't slap Ratchet unconcious, he... ah, nevermind, you'll find out in chapter 4 of Epilogue. As for the color white, bad guys usually don't wear white, although the figure wearing white doesn't necessarily make him a good guy.**

 **Chapter 4: " _happy birthday ratchet. you can blow out the gigantic candles now._**

 _ **fortunatly for him he can't remeber it. It would be horrible to remember such a day.**_  
 ** _And i finally understand why such a tiny person needs such a giant throne. "that's what ya get"_ "  
Yes, it would've been most unpleasant to live with the memory of not just your parents but your whole race dying in front of you etched into your mind. And indeed, Tachyon picked a horrible birthday present for Ratchet. Luckily we all know what happened to Tachyon, right?**

 **Chapter 5: "** ** _looks like SOMEONE has a secret love for SOMEONE. But I don't really understand why she didn't swim back for fresh air and then go back to shut it completely. But it's all part of tyhe story. And with that secret love, It can't end here!_ "  
Well... you'll have to read on for quite a while in order to get the whole answer, though by the time you are reading this you are getting pretty close. And yes, of course, it couldn't end with Angela dying! But one does not simply come back from the dead, you'll have to read on to find out what happens...**

 **Alright, no more reviews to reply to, so let's get back to the story!**

* * *

Perihelion's cockpit opened up with a slight hiss before Angela climbed out. Angela yawned and stretched her arms. "Ah, I've been in that cockpit a bit too long."

The bounty hunter's ship touched down on a landing pad next to the one Perihelion was parked on. As soon as Angela got within range, Kursed performed a brain scan.

" _She was telling the truth?! Huh... wow, look at that technology! That's decades ahead of what we have here! With that..._ " Kursed grinned evilly. " _...I could conquer Lylat._ "

Kursed walked over to Angela. "Alright, who am I looking for?"

"Well, I don't even know your name, so..."

"Kursed. Now, who's my target?"

"His name is Ratchet. Lombax like me, orange fur with brown stripes, emerald eyes, tail, large ears similar to mine, always wearing a leather cap that once belonged to his father."

"And his ship?"

"Lombax tech, similar to my ship, only his ship is deep crimson in color, has a female A.I. instead of a male, and is named 'Aphelion'."

"Got it. Payment please?"

Angela frowned. She tapped her wrist-com three times, and suddenly a small pile of bolts materialized in front of Kursed. Kursed started to throw them into the back of her ship.

"So, what are we going to do now?"

"We're heading to Corneria, the planet's got the most eyes, someone must have seen him."

Kursed froze and frowned. "Hang on, how did you get here?"

"What do you mean?"

"How do you know he is in Lylat?"

"Perihelion's got a tracking device, I followed Aphelion's flight path."

"Can't you just run a damn scan then?"

"The scanner is broken, it suddenly started to error just before I found you. These are Aphelion's last known coordinates."

Angela showed Kursed the location on her wrist-com. Unknown to Angela, Kursed knew that part of space all too well.

"Well, in that case we should go to Corneria and get the scanner fixed. After that, we'll simply use the scanner to track that friend of yours down."

"Sounds like a plan but, where is Corneria?"

"I'll lead the way. You just try to keep up, okay?"

Angela got back into Perihelion, and Kursed got back into her own ship, a heavily modified starfighter that seemed to have been a Venomian Predator-class fighter. Kursed had named her ship 'Hell's Gate', and anyone who had fought it knew perfectly well that that name was not misplaced.

Angela frowned as she followed Kursed's ship. She didn't fully trust the vixen, she was a bounty hunter after all, for all Angela knew Kursed would fly off the minute she received a better offer.

Kursed herself didn't quite trust Angela either. Even though the brain scan revealed that Angela had no harmful intentions, Kursed never trusted anyone. For all she knew Angela could be a trained assassin. Kursed growled. She was not going to let some rookie take her life.

* * *

Meanwhile, Fox' Arwing and Ratchet's Lombax starfighter were entering Corneria's blue atmosphere, and mere minutes later they found themselves in the center of Corneria city. Suddenly, Aphelion received an incoming call from Fox' Arwing.

Fox appeared on screen. "Ratchet, change of plan. Apparently my Arwing needs a software update, so I'll have to land it in a special garage further downtown, but you can't land there. Find a place to land your ship and meet me at the coordinates provided."

"Gotcha." Ratchet said as he and Fox split up, Fox' Arwing disappearing in the traffic while Ratchet took a left and found himself in much calmer traffic. He landed Aphelion in a parking garage and carefully locked the ship, and burglar would get shot at by Aphelion so they better stay away.

Ratchet began to walk, and after half an hour he reached the garage the coordinates had been pointing at. The doors slid open as he approached them, and he walked into the building. "May I help you?" a raccoon sitting behind a desk to the right of him spoke up.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Fox McCloud."

"Mr. McCloud? His Arwing is getting a tuneup, sixth floor."

"Thanks!" Ratchet said as he walked over to the elevators. When the elevator he was in had reached the sixth floor, a beep could be heard, followed by the doors sliding open. Ratchet stepped out into the room, which turned out to be a large hangar, and began to search for Fox's ship, guessing that the vulpine wouldn't be far from his spacecraft.

Ratchet was correct, he found Fox' ship in the back, the vulpine himself standing next to it. "Is everything okay?" Ratchet asked.

Fox turned to him. "My Arwing? Yeah, it's fine. It's gonna take a sec for it's systems to update though."

Fox yawned. "I'm gonna get some fresh air, you coming?"

"Nah, I'll stay here."

"Alright then. I'll be back."

Fox got inside the first elevator to arrive, and a minute later he was outside. He took a deep breath, and began to walk down the street, letting his mind wander off. He began to think: would he ever find Krystal? Would he ever see her again?

Meanwhile, two people were walking down the street, approaching Fox. "Do you think they can fix the scanner?" Angela asked Kursed, who was wearing a cloak to prevent being recognized.

"Probably. They're the best mechanics around."

Then Kursed's eyes spotted something. An all too familiar face came walking towards them, eyes fixated on the ground and apparently lost in thought. Kursed gritted her teeth in annoyance and bowed her head to hide her face. Fox walked past them, so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the two.

Angela and Kursed walked into the building Fox had come out of, and walked over to the raccoon behind the desk. "Excuse me, but I've got a ship with problems." Kursed said from under her cloak.

"Y-yes, how c-can I help you?" the raccoon asked, frightened by the fact that there was a cloaked figure standing right in front of him, he wasn't exactly used to that.

"Can't you send a mechanic to fix the problem?"

"Y-y-yes, my best mechanic, Verlix, is nearly finished with the ship he's working on."

A bleep came from the raccoon's computer. "Scratch that, he's done. I can send him with you?"

"Good. Send him down here."

"Y-yes, certainly."

The raccoon grabbed a microphone connected to the building's intercom system. "Verlix, could you come down here? Thanks."

Meanwhile, upstairs, Verlix, a Cornerian bulldog that certainly knew what he was talking about when it came to mechanics, and Ratchet were working on Fox' Arwing. Verlix frowned. "Oh. Well, you heard it, I gotta go. Nice talking to a fellow mechanical genius."

"Same." Ratchet said. "Good luck."

Verlix gave him a thumbs up and left. When Verlix came out of the elevator, he walked over to the raccoon. "What's up, Syke?"

"W-w-well, these people here seem to have a problem with their ship, c-could you help them out?"

"Sure. Where's the ship?"

"In a parking garage a few blocks away."

"Excellent." Verlix said, grabbing his toolbox and following the two women out of the building.

They walked down the street, until Verlix noticed an orange dot out of the corner of his eye. Indeed, it was Fox. He walked over to him. "Hey, Fox, your ship's fixed, go pick it up."

Fox looked up from the ground. "Thanks."

"No problem, but there's another ship I gotta go fix, see ya!" Verlix said over his shoulder as he sprinted after the two women that had asked for his assistance.

A few minutes later, Fox was back at his Arwing. "Any luck?" Ratchet asked.

"Nope, I've spoken to quite a lot of people, nobody has seen Krystal."

"Huh. Well, what now?"

"Well, I was planning on trying my luck on Katina again. Remember, you don't have to come with me."

"I'll help you nevertheless." Ratchet said. "Send the coordinates to my ship."

"Alright then. See you on Katina." Fox said as he climbed into his Arwing, closed the cockpit, started the engines and flew off.

Ratchet took the elevator back down to street level. However, as he was about to walk out of the building...

"Hey, you!"

Ratchet turned to where the voice came from. The raccoon sitting behind the desk was waving at him. Ratchet walked over to him. "Is there a problem?"

"No, I was just wondering... what race are you?"

"Lombax?"

"Huh. Are Lombaxes a new species in Lylat?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are the Lombaxes a new species settling in Lylat? 'Cause until you came in I'd never seen a Lombax, but within minutes the counter has moved from zero to two."

"Two?"

"Yeah, not long after you came in these two women came in, one of them wearing a cloak while the other was a... Lombax was it, right?"

"Can you describe the Lombax?"

"Like I said, female. She had golden hair, a ponytail, blue eyes, a tiny bit taller than you are, and I must say, she was quite beautiful. If you know her, is she taken?"

"Yeah." Ratchet growled. "Yeah she is. Thanks for letting me know."

"No problem!"

Ratchet walked out of the building and began to walk back to Aphelion. When he had reached his ship, he opened the cockpit, climbed in, closed the cockpit, started the engines, and flew off.

Thanks to Aphelion's advanced warp-drive technology, Ratchet could easily catch up with Fox. He called the Arwing. Fox's face appeared on-screen. "What's up?"

"Listen to this, apparently while your Arwing was getting fixed, my friend Angela was in the exact same building. I wonder what she's looking for here."

"From who did you get that information?"

"The raccoon sitting behind a desk near the entrance of the building."

"Well, that's only one person, I wouldn't rely too heavily on his memory if I were you. It sure is interesting, but I don't think you should immediately take it as true."

* * *

Meanwhile, back on Corneria, Verlix was at work fixing Angela's ship's scanner. He removed his wrench with a grin, and turned to Angela and Kursed. "Good to go, mates."

"Awesome!" Angela said.

"Well, there is one thing you need to know. That ship of yours is probably the most advanced tech I've ever seen, I was able to repair very little, but I was able to get the scanner to work again. However, it was damaged to severely that it cannot pinpoint the exact location of whatever you were tracking, instead it will continue to follow it's flight pattern, but it's gonna take a while for the scanner to catch up to the actual object."

"Good enough for me. Alright, how much do I owe you?" Angela asked.

"Fifty Cornerian credits and we're even."

Angela bit her lip, she had forgotten that she couldn't pay in bolts here."

"I got it." Kursed suddenly said. She paid Verlix. When she walked past Angela, she hissed "You owe me, and I want that money back, got it?"

"Alrighty then, I gotta go. See ya!" Verlix said as he walked away.

Angela sighed. "Well, let's see..."

Angela turned on the scanner, and it began to calculate.

"And?" Kursed asked impatiently.

"Hang on, it's still busy."

Kursed sighed. "Bloody junk." she mumbled.

"I heard that!" Perihelion's A.I.'s male voice blared, nearly giving Kursed a heart attack. "WHAT DAMN SON OF A-"

"Relax. It was my ship."

"Your ship? Damn, what have you been smoking?"

"Absolutely nothing. Perihelion is equipped with a highly intelligent artificial intelligence system, or A.I. for short. This ship is way smarter than you think."

Kursed grinned evilly behind Angela's back. " _The more advanced the ship, the more it's worth..._ "

"Look at this." Angela said. "According to the scanner, Ratchet first flew to..."

"Titania."

"Thank you. According to the scanner, he then flew to... isn't that Corneria? The planet we're on right now?"

"Correct and correct."

"That means... he's somewhere around here!" Angela yelled. Kursed frowned. "Mind keeping it down? I've got excellent ears, y'know."

"Sorry. We just have to find him then."

"Didn't he have a ship similar in design to yours?"

"Yeah?"

Kursed pointed at the sky, where in the distance, Aphelion could be seen, flying out of the atmosphere of Corneria.

"Crap!" Angela yelped.

"Chill out, he's got quite the head start. Scan his flight pattern."

"Okay. Let's see... he stayed on Corneria..."

Angela and Kursed waited for an hour for the dot on the scanner to leave Corneria, Kursed getting quite fed up with waiting. At last, the dot began to move, and it seemed to move to planet Katina.

Angela and Kursed got into their ships and flew off towards said planet. Angela sighed. "I'll find you, Ratchet. Even if it'll take me the rest of my life." she mumbled as she stared out into space at the countless stars, thinking about the person she loved most.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ratchet and Fox were walking through the markets in a small village on the desert planet of Katina. They asked every person in sight if they had seen someone who matched Krystal's description, but no luck. They tried various other villages, but in the end, nothing worked. Fox ears lowered a bit as he and Ratchet walked back to their ships. "So, where are we gonna go now?" Ratchet asked as they walked through the markets of Red Sun City.

"I don't know. Zoness, perhaps?"

"Zoness?"

"Yeah, Zoness. It was once a beautiful, tropical planet, but due to Andross dumping tons and tons of poisonous and radioactive waste there, it is now an inhabitable wasteland. There is only one small city on Zoness, so I thought about trying my luck there again."

"Again?" Ratchet asked as they left the markets behind them.

"Yeah, I've asked around there before, and fairly recently too."

"Then wouldn't it be a better idea to go to a planet you haven't been on recently?"

"Hmm..." Fox hummed in thought as they reached their ships. "Aquas, perhaps?"

"Alright, Aquas it is then."

"Okay. I'll send the coordinates to Aquas, meet me there." Fox said as he climbed into his Arwing and took off.

Ratchet climbed into Aphelion, entered the coordinates, and took off.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Angela and Kursed were landing. They began to search the city, asking everyone in sight if they had seen Ratchet.

No luck. They walked back to their ships and tried to scan Aphelion's flight path again... only to find the scanner broken once again, much to both Angela and Kursed's annoyance. They decided to ask around on the markets if anyone had seen Ratchet, where...

"Uh, excuse me, ma'am?" one of the salesmen asked Angela as she walked past him. Angela turned around. "Yes?"

"Sorry if it's a rude question, but... what race are you?"

"Lombax."

"Huh, are they a new race in Lylat or something?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, until this morning I had never seen a Lombax before, but now, first that man who was asking around and now you."

"Can you describe him?"

"Golden fur with brown stripes, large ears, leather pilot's cap, striped tail, emerald eyes, asked around if we had seen some woman named 'Krystal'."

"Did he say anything about where he was going?"

"Now that you mention it, I did hear him talking to someone about going to planet Zoness, I couldn't see the other person though."

"Alright, thanks!" Angela said as she sprinted off, greatly confusing the salesman. "I got him." Angela said as she reached Kursed, who was... 'interrogating' a stranger.

"What?! Where?!"

"Zoness, wherever in the world that may be."

"Planet Zoness?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Get over to your ship and meet me there ASAP. I'll send you the coordinates. We gotta race to Zoness before he leaves _again_."

"Got it." Angela said as she raced to her ship while Kursed raised to hers. " _I'm coming, Ratchet..._ " Angela thought. " _I just hope you haven't gotten yourself into anything dangerous._ "

* * *

 **Well, only time will tell what Ratchet's gotten himself into this time, but with Ratchet's talent for finding trouble, I think the answer is already a bit clear.  
**

 **And the story is picking up speed too! But don't worry, the story is only barely getting started...**

 **Before I end these author's notes, one last thing: I've noticed a decline in the number of reviews per chapter. Although I'll keep writing nevertheless, it'd support me greatly if you leave a review if you like the story so far. It doesn't have to be a long review and you don't even need an account, just let me know that you care, and please know that any kind of feedback is greatly appreciated.**

 **(Hopefully) see you all in the next chapter!**


	3. The Encounter

**As I said in chapter two, there was a good chance of me uploading the next chapter on Wednesday, and since I'm already busy with writing chapter 7, there is no reason for me not to upload chapter 3 now. Since I've still got quite a lot of time before my bus arrives (half an hour) I thought that I might as well upload this chapter right now rather than this afternoon (or, at least, when it's afternoon on this part of planet Earth).**

 **So, here we go! Let me take a moment to reply to the reviews though:**

 **Reviews**

* * *

 **Epilogue reviews:**

 **Heather:**

 **Chapter 16: "** ** _This was one heck of a chapter, that's for sure! I just started reading this story today and I love it already! You're an amazing writer!  
P. S. I played Ratchet and Clank 1 and I absolutely hated the part with the sewer. I died about twenty times trying to do it the first time I played it. I still love the game itself, though._"  
Thank you! And yeah, I hated that sewer too. I've seen a preview of what it's like in the PS4 rema-erm, _re-imagening_ , and I have to say, it got quite a lot easier. I've seen it in a stream, and although the player screwed up big time (getting hit by amoeboids, falling into the water), he still made it through (barely though) while a single mistake would mean certain death in the original game. So for a veteran like me (I've played and finished every game), that means I'll likely nail it on my first attempt. For Ratchet's sake, let's hope so... Anyhow, very glad to hear you like it so far!**

 **Chapter 17: "** ** _Awesome chapter you wrote! Funny how Ratchet was joking around about pirates! Of course, it is true pirates are good at getting drunk... they get their hands on too much grog!_ "  
Thank you! And yeah, pirates don't ever seem to be sober for some reason, as if they're addicted to getting drunk rather than whatever it is that they are drinking. I actually wonder, how can the space pirates possibly afford them being so drunk all the time? Drinking so much would cost them tons, and with Ratchet blowing up nearly everything, I'm surprised they can still afford it.**

 **Chapter 18: "** ** _Well, looks like Ratchet's going to have some trouble on his hands! That's definitely going to be a punch in the gut for Angela. Anyway, as usual, fantastic chapter!_ "  
Ooh, a punch in the gut it is, but unfortunately for Angela, there's probably more where that came from... And thank you for the compliments!**

 **Chapter 24: "** ** _Things aren't looking good for the good guys. Again, awesome chapter! Make that beyond awesome! Er... be-awesome?_ "  
Nope, they definitely got some trouble on their hands there. And thank you so much for the compliments!**

* * *

 **Epilogue 2 reviews:**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Like I said, you have my reviews. And that review is...OH MY GOSH DUDE!  
(Screams in frustration) THEY WERE SO CLOSE! (Screams again)  
Besides that, ecstatic to see the second chapter up and viewable. Hope to see the shiz/spiz level up to that level which you are TOTALLY capable of.  
Have fun with this, and I'll review when Chapter 3 comes around.  
Max out.  
P.S. About the whole permission to use Travel The Days...yeah, things got out of hand really quickly..._"  
Indeed, they were so close! But will they get closer? You'll find out later... or sooner? And you bet there's some 'spiz' moments coming up! Lots of 'em in fact! And I can't wait for your review!**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _Another great chapter, keep it up. : )_ "  
Thank you! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _I really enjoyed this chapter. I never played Star Fox, so I don't know that much about the characters other than what I heard from friends but I enjoyed this chapter anyway. And yes, it's pretty fun, no, make that EXTREMELY fun to impersonate Nefarious. I just love making the Nefarious troopers dance. I did have one annihilated once just for fun. Anyway, keep up the amazing work!_ "  
Thank you! And I'll try my best to bring out each character's personality so you get a basic idea of who they are. I'm trying to write this story in such a way that it is understandable for those who don't know either Star Fox or Ratchet & Clank. And I also enjoyed playing as Nefarious on that one part, though when I annihilated one of the robots... those lines... I'll spare you the details on what they said, but I reloaded my last save because I immediately regretted killing them just because of those lines. My thoughts: "Forget it, I didn't sign up for this!" And don't worry, this story is only getting started!**

 **Heather: "** ** _Amazingly written chapter! You, sir, are very, no, extremely amazing at writing and this chapter was just perfect! Totally perfect! One hundred percent!_ "  
Thank you! I hope you'll love this chapter just as much.**

* * *

 **Alright, no more reviews to reply to, so let's get going then!  
**

* * *

"Nothing here." Ratchet said as he regrouped with Fox after asking around in five different colonies on Aquas. "What's next?"

"Zoness I guess." Fox said with a sigh. He sat down on the ground, letting his head rest against the side of his Arwing. "This is so pointless. We'll never find her... I'll never see her again."

"Don't say that!"

"It's true!"

"No it isn't! Searching for the one you love is never pointless, giving up is! You've been searching for her for so long now, you can't possibly be considering to give up now, after so much effort."

Fox stayed silent.

"Look, I understand you've getting hopeless, but giving up is not an answer. If you do, you'll only feel guilty."

"You're right." Fox said as he stood up. "I would be an idiot to give up on someone like Krystal."

"That's the spirit! Now, let's go to Zoness."

"Okay." Fox said as he climbed into his Arwing. As Ratchet and Fox flew through space, Aphelion received an incoming call from the Cornerian spacecraft. "Hey Ratch?"

"What's up?"

"Thank you."

"No problem."

* * *

Meanwhile, on Zoness, Angela and Kursed were asking around in the only colony on the planet. Kursed wasn't wearing her cloak this time because it was a colony that feared her. A gateway to the criminal underworld of Lylat.

"You there!" Kursed barked at a nearby Macbethian. "Have you seen anyone that matches the following description..."

Kursed described Ratchet. The terrified Macbethian replied that he hadn't seen the Lombax. Kursed walked on and regrouped with Angela. "Nothing. Have you had any luck?"

"Nope. I suppose it's best to go back to Corneria and get the scanner fixed again."

Kursed growled. "That stupid bloody piece of-"

"Hey. Calm down."

Kursed growled. "Whatever. Corneria it is then."

The two women got into their ships and flew off, heading to Corneria once again. As they were leaving Zoness' brown atmosphere, two other ships were entering it. The ships passed each other, but none of the four pilots had any knowledge of the other ships due to Zoness' dense cloudlayers. As Kursed and Angela left the atmosphere and as Fox and Ratchet entered it, they had no idea that they had just passed the people they were looking for.

Fox and Ratchet landed on Zoness, in the colony Z-3589, the only colony on the polluted planet that was being protected by a sturdy glass dome supported by a solid steel framework.

They began their search, but after hours of asking around, they were about to leave empty-handed.

Suddenly, however, something pulled on Ratchet's ears. The Lombax wanted to yell in pain and anger, but a rag was forced into his mouth, preventing him from speaking. Luckily, Fox was quick to notice Ratchet going missing and turned around just in time to see Ratchet's tail disappearing around the corner. Fox sprinted after the tail, and as he ran around the corner to continue his pursuit, he saw Ratchet being dragged away in the distance, hands bound together behind his back, rag in his mouth, blindfolded, and being pulled by his ears.

Fox growled, and ran as fast as he could. It may have been a while since his last mission, the Anglar Blitz, but he sure as hell hadn't gotten weaker. Within seconds he had caught up with the criminal attempting to abduct Ratchet, and he gave the person a forceful kick in the abdomen, making the cloaked figure tumble over and curse in pain. Fox grabbed the criminal's collar, lifted him off the ground, pulled away the person's hood, and pressed a gun against the criminal's head.

"Now we're gonna have a little chat." Fox growled as he broke Ratchet's bindings with a well-aimed kick.

"P-please, don't hurt me!" the Venomian ape pleaded. "I-I was only following orders!"

"Yeah, I bet you did." Fox said, glaring daggers at the ape. "Whose orders exactly?"

"I-I-I uuh... I... J-J-Just mere hours ago this-this-this feared bounty hunter comes by a-a-and asks me if I had seen some guy, I hadn't seen him, and then I saw him (the venomian nodded towards Ratchet) who matches the description she gave perfectly, s-so I grabbed him!"

"You know, I should kill you for being such an idiot."

"N-N-No!"

"Who. Was. The. Bounty hunter?!"

"Kursed!"

"Describe. NOW!"

"BLUE FUR, PURPLE EYES, SHORT BLUE HAIR, VIXEN, THAT'S ALL I KNOW I SWEAR!"

Fox' eyes widened a bit. "Tell me more! Tell me all you can think of!"

"Uuuh... she... she was with someone... golden fur, golden striped ponytail, striped tail with a puffball at the end that had a slightly lighter fur color, sapphire eyes, large ears that were roughly triangular in shape, female."

"That sounds like Angela!" Ratchet said, who had removed the blindfold and gotten the rag out of his mouth.

"WHERE WERE THEY HEADED!?" Fox barked maniacally, using the ape's fear against him.

"CORNERIA!" the criminal ape barked, nearly beginning to cry. "NOW PLEASE LET ME GO!"

"Okay. Pleasant dreams!" Fox yelled as he knocked the ape out cold with the side of his gun.

"What did you do that for?" Ratchet asked.

"One: so he wouldn't come after us. Two: so he'll still be here when the authorities come to pick him up. I've already sent them a signal, they'll be here soon. What surprises me though is that he described someone eerily similar to Krystal. What's more, only Cerinians, Krystal's race, had blue fur, and she is the only one to have survived the destruction of her homeworld."

"Destruction of her homeworld?"

"Yeah, apparently her home planet, Cerinia, was destroyed. As long as I know her she's been trying to find out what happened to the planet."

"Well, whoever that guy (Ratchet nodded to the ape) saw is getting away, we better hurry if we want to catch up."

"Agreed. Let's go."

"Hang on..." Ratchet said, remembering something. "I may have a better plan."

"Well, I'm all ears, but make it quick."

"My ship, Aphelion, should be able to track down Angela's ship, Perihelion, since it's similar in design. And since she had it built on Fastoon, the Lombax homeworld, by the recently returned Lombax race, it's Lombax technology. Aphelion doesn't know her ship's ID though, for that we need to get close to her."

"Let's race to Corneria then, we might be able to intercept them, let's use your ship's scanner as a last resort."

"Alright."

They raced to their ships, and within minutes they were shooting out of Zoness' once so calm and velvet blue, now violent, dense, and sickening orange atmosphere. "Wait." Ratchet said.

"What?"

"Stay right behind me. Whatever you do, you **must** stay right behind me."

"I can do that, but what for?"

"Just do it!"

"Okay..." Fox said, piloting his Arwing to behind Aphelion.

"Now, disable your ship's engines."

"What?!"

"Just do it!"

"Okay! Okay! They're off, now what?!"

"Aphelion, engage hyperspace warping device, head to Cornerian orbit." Ratchet told Aphelion as he grabbed Fox' Arwing with Aphelion's tractor beam, much to Fox's annoyance.

"Hey?! The hell are you-AAAH!" Fox yelled as he suddenly found himself right above Corneria. "What the crap just happened?!"

"I've activated a warp drive built into Aphelion that is designed for travel between galaxies, so when used interplanetary it means near instant travel, though it is not very comfortable."

"Between GALAXIES?! How fast did we go?!"

"A few thousand times the speed of light, why?"

"That's physically impossible!"

"Yes, but there is a loophole. We did not travel through space, we bent space around us. That's what a warp drive does."

"Math class later, let's search for the woman that ape described."

"Alright. Oh, and by the way, physics, not math."

"Whatever, let's just get moving." Fox said as he restarted his Arwing's engines, and together the two ships entered Corneria's atmosphere.

Meanwhile, a small group of engineers got the scanner built into Perihelion to work again, although it was as broken as before: it could only track Ratchet's flight path, not Aphelion directly, for that it was too damaged, and the technology in Lylat was not advanced enough.

"According to the scanner... they went to Aquas rather than Zoness!" Angela said.

Kursed huffed. "Darn imbecile gave you wrong info, let's race to Aquas then!"

Meanwhile, Ratchet and Fox were landing only a few block away from where Angela and Kursed had landed. Ratchet and Fox began to search the area, only for Ratchet to look up when he heard a familiar sound. " _Did somebody just steal my ship?!_ " he thought as he noticed a familiar sound of engines. He did see a ship similar to Aphelion flying off, but this ship was blue. He also noticed a combat-class spacecraft following it. "Found 'em!" he told Fox through his communication unit, that as if by some miracle had turned out to be compatible with Fox' headgear.

"What?! Where?! It it Krystal?!"

"I just saw their ships leave, let's go!"

Ratchet raced to Aphelion who, thank goodness, had noticed the presence of another Lombax ship, and was able to trace Perihelion. "Follow me!" Ratchet said as he sped off, Fox right behind him.

* * *

As Ratchet and Fox frantically raced through space, Angela and Kursed were asking around on Aquas. So far they hadn't had any luck, though some people did remember seeing someone who matched Ratchet's description.

Then, Angela got lucky. Someone had overheard Ratchet and some other man talking about 'searching on Zoness next'. " _We were so close!_ " Angela thought. But then it hit her. " _Wait, searching? What is Ratchet looking for? And who is that other man? Is Ratchet in danger?_ "

Scenarios of what Ratchet could be involved in began to flood Angela's mind, some worse than others. She frowned and her eyes filled with determination. " _I have to find him._ "

"I've got a lead." Angela told Kursed when she found the bounty hunter. "Zoness."

"Zoness? We just were there!"

"Tell me about it. But we're getting closer, I can feel it."

* * *

"We're getting closer, I can feel it!" Fox said as he and Ratchet approached Aquas. "We're getting closer to finding Krystal!"

"I hope so." Ratchet replied. Ratchet didn't lie, he hoped that they would find Krystal soon. He truly did not want to let Fox search the universe alone, but soon Clank would return from recording another Secret Agent Clank movie at Holostar Studios, and if Ratchet wasn't home when Clank would return, Clank might get worried. " _Perhaps Angela got worried too, that could explain why she's in Lylat._ "

Ratchet growled. He still didn't want to see Angela after that argument. Not because he couldn't forgive her, but because it would tear him apart that with that argument any chance of her liking him went out the window. If she blamed him for everything, then she couldn't possibly like him, Ratchet concluded, ears lowering in defeat.

He shook his head, he had to stay focused. He noticed a glistering of blue in the distance. He checked Aphelion's scanner. It was indeed a Lombaxian starfighter, and very likely Angela's. "Over there!" he said.

"I see 'em!" Fox replied, and the two pilots activated their ships' afterburners.

* * *

"Alright, Zoness..." Angela mumbled.

"Hey." Kursed suddenly said to Angela through the communication channel established between their ships. "So far I've worked non-stop for nearly a whole day, when do you plan on paying me?"

"I'll pay you as soon as we get to Zoness, alright?"

"You better, or-WATCH OUT!"

"What?!"

"We've got company, two ships at six!"

Angela activated Perihelion's combat systems. Perihelion wings opened up into an X-like formation, cannons got ready, afterburner on standby, all reaction wheels and gyroscopes pushed to the limit, and... then she noticed that one of the ships had a strangely familiar shape and color.

"Wait!"

"I'm going in!" Kursed yelled, activating her ship's weaponry and charging at the two ships.

"But that's-"

Angela was cut off as Kursed suddenly broke the communication channel. "Damn it!" Angela yelled. "She'll kill them!"

Angela growled and charged after Kursed. " _If that lowlife even DARES to lay a finger on Ratchet I'll kill her myself!_ " Angela thought.

* * *

"Wait, the ship Angela's with seems to be coming our way."

"That's... could it be?!" Fox said in disbelief. "Could it be Krystal?"

"I dunno."

"I'll try to communicate with it, hang on." Fox said. He broke the connection with Aphelion and commanded his Arwing to reach out to the ship flying straight at them. The other pilot accepted, but only voice-communication, not video. "Krystal?" Fox asked with a hopeful voice the moment the connection was established.

For a moment it stayed quiet. Then the other pilot growled. "You..." a harsh, though strangely familiar female voice spoke. "You! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE YOU!?"

"What are you-"

"Grrraaah! I'll KILL you! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH!" the other pilot yelled before breaking the connection.

Fox reached out to Ratchet's ship immediately. "It's not friendly!"

Ratchet had no time to activate Aphelion's weaponry, for the hostile pilot opened fire.

* * *

Angela growled as Kursed began to fire at Ratchet and whoever was piloting the other ship. She activated the afterburners and began to lock on to Kursed. If that woman even thought about hurting Ratchet...

Angela watched as one of Kursed's plasmabullets hit Aphelion's right wing.

"ENOUGH!" Angela yelled as she began to fire everything she had at Kursed. "NOBODY, AND I MEAN NOBODY, TRIES TO HARM RATCHET WHILE I'M AROUND! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING LOWLIFE?!"

* * *

Kursed cursed loudly as her ship shook violently from an impact. "Where did that come from?!" she barked as she used her ship's technology to calculate the source of the attack.

When her ship finished calculating, Kursed growled. "That backstabbing bitch! I'll rip her head off and sell her ship for scrap!"

Then Kursed noticed that the two ships she had been attacking were using the distraction to get away. "No." Kursed growled as she began her pursuit. "You are NOT escaping my wrath!"

* * *

"The hell did you say?!" Ratchet yelled as he and Fox sped away.

"I only asked if the pilot was Krystal! That's all!"

"Well, whatever you said, you really pissed someone off!"

"I didn't say anything offensive, I swear!"

Then Ratchet noticed that they were being followed, not only by the ship that had been attacking them, but by Perihelion as well, who was in combat mode. " _Is... is Angela coming to kill me too?!_ " Ratchet thought. " _But... but that means... she'll never..._ "

Ratchet almost had the urge to fly into a nearby asteroid and end it right there, but in the nick of time, he remembered someone.

Clank.

The little robot had always had his back, and Clank would surely be devastated if Ratchet would die, so for Clank's sake, Ratchet would stay breathing, though Ratchet had already died on the inside.

The angry pilot began to open fire again, and Ratchet and Fox had to use breakneck maneuvers to stay in one piece. " _That piloting... those skills... those tricks... I know only one person..._ " Fox thought as he avoided being blown to bits. For hours the two ships avoided everything, before they finally reached a planet.

"What is that?!" Ratchet asked.

"That would be Fortuna!" Fox yelled over the sound of explosions. "It's a planet covered in forests!"

"Wow..." Ratchet mumbled.

But then, something shot past them.

* * *

Angela had been firing everything she had at Kursed, but the bounty hunter dodged all of the Lombax' attacks while she continued to fire at Ratchet and the other pilot.

If things would stay like this... surely Ratchet would become exhausted, and if he would lose his focus for only a second...

Then Angela had an idea. She began to fire at Kursed once again, though this time, Angela wanted to miss, detonating the space around Kursed's ship. Then, all of a sudden, she shot an ion bomb at Kursed while keeping the vixen pinned down by blowing up bombs all around the spacecraft.

The ion bomb hit. Kursed's ship sputtered and sparked, then died at last, and began to fall towards the green planet below.

* * *

"KRYSTAL!" Fox yelled as he watched the ship fall. He growled, his fur standing on end. He suddenly pressed his foot on the brakes, and the two Lombaxian ships shot past him. He locked onto the sky blue ship. "YOU! YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO KRYSTAL!" Fox yelled as he began to open fire. Perihelion's engines exploded, and the ship began to fall towards Fortuna.

* * *

"Angela!" Ratchet yelled as he watched Perihelion plummet towards the surface. He forced Aphelion to stop immediately. "DO YOU REALIZE WHO YOU'VE JUST SHOT!?" he barked at Fox through the communications channel. "YOU KILLED MY FRIEND!"

"AND SHE KILLED MY LOVE! WHOEVER IT WAS, THEY GOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY DESERVED! HELL!"

Ratchet's fur stood on end, his eyes were ablaze with fierce hatred and he showed his fangs. "I will blow you into MORE PIECES THAN THERE ARE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE!"

"Bring it on!" Fox yelled.

The two ships began to circle each other, slowly, waiting for the other to make a move. Suddenly, Fox shot forward, and began to open fire at Aphelion from behind. Ratchet responded immediately by dropping a bomb behind him.

Fox flew out of the way with ease, and some quick plasma fire destroyed Aphelion's left wing. "EAT IT!" Fox roared.

But then Aphelion launched an entire army worth of missiles at once. Thousands of cluster missiles closed in on Fox from all angles. The vulpine attempted to destroy some of the rockets with plasma fire, a smart bomb, and even a barrel roll (A/N: DO A BARRE-okay, I'll quit it) but nothing worked, and soon the missiles slammed into his Arwing.

Fox began to fall towards Fortuna, but he left a little present behind...

Ratchet flew after Fox and began to open fire once again, only to fly right into a smart bomb.

The two pilots fell towards the unforgiving ground far below.

* * *

Her legs and her left ear were on fire and her right arm wouldn't move. Angela screamed and cursed as she desperately tried to get out of what had been her ship. Suddenly, the windshield that had been pinning her down shattered. "A... last... gift..." Perihelion muttered before the screen sparked and the ship stopped functioning. Angela crawled out of the wreckage just in time to see another ship falling from the sky. It was white in color, the cockpit in the middle, and roughly had the shape of an A. Angela moved back a bit, using the wreck of Perihelion as protection from the ship falling from the sky. The ship slammed into the ground not too far from Perihelion, and the pilot crawled out. Angela crawled over to him. "Hey!"

The pilot carefully stood up. It was a fox. "Hey!" Angela yelled again, catching the man's attention. "Help me!"

The man stared at her in disbelief. "Plea..." Angela muttered before the pain of her injuries became too much for her, and she lost consciousness.

* * *

Ratchet yelled as Aphelion slammed into the ground. The impact shattered one of Ratchet's ribs and broke the Lombax' left arm, but Ratchet wasted no time in grabbing his wrench and breaking open the cockpit by smashing the windshield.

He climbed out, only to see a ship's wing vanishing below the surface of a lake nearby. A figure crawled their way onto dry land, gasping, but not dead at all.

The figure stood up, and Ratchet could see who it was.

The person matched Fox' description of Krystal almost perfectly, save for the short purple hair and the cold, dead eyes that seemed to stare into his soul.

Ratchet instinctively grabbed his wrench.

* * *

 **Oooh, things are not going quite well down there, huh? I do plan on updating this Saturday, so then you will all find out what happens to them. Until then, please leave a favorite/follow/review if you liked, and (hopefully) see you next time!  
**


	4. Planet Fortuna

**I'm back! I must warn everyone though, this chapter is one of the chapters for which this story is rated T, prepare for some... 'unfriendly conversations'.**

 **Anyhow, reviews!**

* * *

 **zenith88: "** ** _Oh man, i'm sorry that i forgot to review. Wow, it looks like everything went south really quick. Well, i definately will wait for the next chapter._ "  
Doesn't matter that you forgot to review, I'm more than happy to see that you're still here, and that you still like the story so far. Here's hoping you'll like the chapters yet to come just as much. There is one more thing though: remember the 'sequel guessing' back in Epilogue 1? Well, you guessed correctly, and thus you may submit an OC that will make an appearance in the story. If you wish to submit an OC, please send me a PM, and I'll add them to the story ASAP. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Max Chronicle: " _Dude...that was nuts...and SPIZ!_**  
 ** _"That's what a warp drive does." -Ratchet_**  
 ** _"Math class later, let's search for the woman that ape described." -Fox McCloud_**  
 ** _"Alright. Oh, by the way, physics, not math." -Ratchet_**  
 ** _Total LOL!_**  
 ** _They get even closer. (In this reviewer's frustration, he has destroyed his computer and must go buy a new one._**

 ** _Then the fight begins. That got intense quickly. (Laser fire) (Exploding bombs) DO A BARREL ROLL...(Falls out of chair laughing) Classic. Beside that one small hilarious detail...nice job._**  
 ** _Can't wait for Chapter 4_**  
 ** _Max out._**  
 ** _P.S. Ratchet instinctively grabbed his wrench. I instinctively grabbed the popcorn._ " _  
_Spiz-worthy? Haha, and I'm just getting started! And I couldn't help but add that little joke there, it seemed like the witty comment Ratchet would make. As for your computer... chronoscepter, perhaps? And yeah, the barrel roll just HAD to make an appearance, I simply could not leave Peppy's infamous line out. The irony is that when Peppy says that line, he actually expects the player to perform an aileron roll rather than a barrel roll, Peppy's not even correct! And popcorn? Ooh, you're really gonna need more of that. (The Ratchet and Clank movie's got nothing on me!... just kidding!) Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I can't wait to read the next one. : )_ "  
Well, wait no more, the next chapter is here! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Who are you?!" Ratchet asked as he took a step back.

"Me? I'm Kursed!" the person yelled as she approached Ratchet at a slow pace, like a predator sneaking up on it's prey. "And put that darn thing away, I'm not interested in killing you."

"Well, that surely was a lot different mere minutes ago!"

"Well, to be honest, I wasn't gunning for you, but that asshole in the Arwing."

"What? Why?"

"No time for chit-chat, furball. We've got to find their ships, we might be able to get some supplies from them."

Ratchet glanced over his shoulder. "Well, the antenna is busted but we can still use Aphelion's database, perhaps it might come in handy."

"Wait, database?"

"Yeah?"

"Huh, nothing."

Then, suddenly, Kursed barked: "Don't stand around like an idiot, and go fetch some wood for a campfire! I'm gonna find some dinner." she finished with an evil grin.

The moment Ratchet had disappeared into the forest, Kursed ran over to Aphelion and began to search through Aphelion's database. "Let's see... Lombax... Lombax..."

' _Lombaxes are humanoid, bipedal lifeforms native to planet Fastoon. While there used to be many Lombaxes, an attack by the late Emperor Percival Tachyon caused many Lombaxes to lose their lifes, the survivors fleeing this dimension. Current status: nearly extinct, only a few Lombaxes remain._ '

Kursed grinned evilly. " _Exactly what I wanted to see._ "

At that moment, she heard movement in the bushes, so she quickly hid behind a tree. Ratchet came walking out, his arms full of wood, and began to set up a campfire, clearing the ground of burnable materials before creating a fireproof base for the campfire, so that he wouldn't accidentally put the forest on fire.

" _He'll do quite well on the black market..._ " Kursed thought with an evil grin.

* * *

"Hey!"

Angela tiredly shook her head, forcing her eyes to open. She could see a figure towering over her.

"Hey!" it spoke again. "Can you hear me?!"

Angela managed to nod.

"Oh, thank god, your neck's still intact. Can you walk?"

Angela coughed, and shook her head, her legs remaining unresponsive. "Legs... won't... work."

The figure, a fox, looked concerned. "I'm gonna check if a nerve is damaged. Do you feel this?" he said as he pressed two fingers against her cheek. Angela nodded.

"And now?" the fox said as he pressed two fingers against her neck. Again, Angela could feel it.

"Can you still feel it?" the fox said as he squeezed her hand. "Yeah..." Angela tiredly replied.

"And now?" the fox said as he pressed two fingers against her left leg. Angela nodded again.

"Hmm, doesn't seem like a problem with your nerves, you seem to be able to feel just fine.

"Who are you?"

"Me? I'm Fox. Fox McCloud."

"Angela... Cross."

"How tired are you?"

"Honestly? I'm afraid that when I close my eyes I'll fall asleep for good."

"Oh, crap, that ain't good. Hang on a second!" Fox said as he stormed into the forest.

Angela stared at the trees from where she lay. She wondered how Ratchet was doing, but most of all she hoped that he was safe.

Fox returned a few minutes later, his hands full of brown-greenish leaves. "Eat these." he said.

Angela tiredly took the leaves from him, but as she chewed on them, she suddenly felt energy returning to her body. "What in the world..."

"Beraclis leaves. They're chuck-full of sugar and caffeine. While those may not be very healthy for you, I figured you could use the energy. You took quite the beating on your way down here, huh?"

"You bet."

"Well, can't say I got away unharmed. Got a few bruised ribs, perhaps one of 'em is even broken."

"Then you really shouldn't be active like this!"

"Well, I kinda have to. Or, at least, I'm forcing myself to be active. For you."

"For me?"

"Yeah, I... I was the one that shot down your ship."

Angela frowned. "You idiot! I was trying to save you two from a crazy bounty hunter!"

"Bounty hunter?"

"Long story. I didn't hire her to kill anyone though, rather to find someone."

"Huh. Well... I'm sorry for shooting you down, it's just... I suspect Kursed isn't who she says she is. If my theory is correct, she's actually an old friend of mine, Krystal... one that I care deeply about, so when you shot her down, I... kinda lost it."

Angela huffed. "Weak excuse."

"I know, but try to view it from my perspective. If you love someone very much, how would you react if I would shoot them down?"

"I don't-" Angela said, but she stopped mid-sentence. Fox was right. If someone would shoot Ratchet, she would get incredibly angry. Angry enough to do something stupid.

"I... I think I understand. Still, weak excuse though."

"I know, I know. Come on, we should get moving. Perhaps one of their ships is still functional.

"Yeah..." Angela said, glancing at what had been her ship. She couldn't help but wipe away a tear, that ship had become a friend of her. "Perhaps Ratchet can fix you..." she whispered to the ship when Fox was out of hearing range. After that, she quickly ran after Fox, deeper into the forests of Fortuna.

* * *

"Ya think you can fix it?" Kursed asked Ratchet, who was carefully going over Aphelion's wreck. "Maybe. I'll need some spare parts though, perhaps your ship or one of the others can supply the parts I need."

"My ship's pretty much busted, if you want to see for yourself I won't stop you, though if ya drown down there, that's your problem. Have fun." Kursed said whilst walking off to where she had seen Fox and Angela's ships crash.

Ratchet shook his head. "I never really liked diving... without an O2 mask that is."

He crawled back into Aphelion's wreck and searched around a bit. It was still there.

Ratchet equipped his O2-mask and walked off to the lake. He dove into the water, and swam over to where he had seen Kursed's ship sink. He began to investigate the wreck, and to his surprise, it was nearly intact. As if by some miracle, it was even still capable of flying, that is if he would fix the engine. He swam out of the lake, and walked back to Aphelion. If he could fix Aphelion, then he could pull out Kursed's ship. Ratchet sighed, and grabbed his wrench. "Let's hope this works..."

* * *

"How far is it?" Angela asked.

"I don't know." Fox said whilst walking. "As far as I know the place where they crashed is nearby."

"As far as you know? That's really reassuring." Angela said with an annoyed glare.

Fox sighed. "I'll go check."

Fox began to climb up a tree. "Are you _insane_?!" Angela asked. "You're in no condition to climb!"

"I know, but the thing is, you can't stop me."

Angela sighed and shook her head. "You're such a stubborn idiot, you know that?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do, my old buddy Falco loved to say that to me."

"Doesn't sound like a buddy to me."

"Well, we were... 'friendly rivals'." Fox voice came from the top of the tree. "Hang on, I can see the crash site."

"How far is it?" Angela yelled up.

"We won't make it in a day, it's about seven hours walking and the sun is already setting. We should set up a camp."

"Uuugh, great. Is there also carnivorous wildlife we need to take into account?"

"Nah, most animals on Fortuna eat plants. However, there are also a few plants that eat the animals."

"What?!"

"You heard me. Keep an eye out for large, pink flowers. Those belong to Fortunian Dissolvers, really nasty creatures. They'll suck you right in and devour you alive."

Angela shivered. "That's just gross!"

"Tell me about it! I'm comin' down!"

After Fox had regrouped with Angela, they headed on. They walked for hours, until it was becoming too dark to see. They would soon need a place to hide and stay for the night. Luckily, Angela spotted a cave in the distance. They hurried over to it, and got inside. It was a rather small cave, though more than enough for them. Angela collected some wood for a fire, while Fox worked on closing off the entrance. And as it became too dark to see, Angela lit the fire in the cave, and Fox moved the door he'd made in place. It was a door made of twigs folded together. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was more than enough. Angela lay down on the hard rock floor of the cave and stared at the fire. Fox sat down, and stared at the reflection of the flames in her eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah... It's just... my spine is going to hurt like hell tomorrow."

"On the contrary." Fox said with a grin. "Wait here for a moment."

Fox went outside. Angela would've protested, but she knew Fox knew what he was doing. Fox came back in, his arms full of moss. "Gylmasnis moss. The softest moss in Lylat. On Sauria, some people even use these as beds."

Angela grinned. "Thank goodness."

Fox knelt down and made a bed. "Here."

"Oh, no, that one's yours."

"I shot you out of the sky for no reason, please, take it."

"And if I don't?"

"I'll keep bugging you all night until you take it. I'll go back outside and get some more moss, there's plenty around here."

Angela sighed. "Alright then. Just be careful, okay?"

"Alright." Fox said, going outside again.

Angela sighed, and lay down. Fox hadn't lied, the moss surely was soft. Angela shivered, it was cold at night on Fotuna. Luckily, the heat coming from the fire provided some warmth. Angela closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

* * *

Angela was in a dark void. She looked around, apparently she was the only thing there.

Wrong.

A wicked, twisted, evil laugh suddenly echoed through the area, sending chills down Angela's spine. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. "It's okay..." She whispered to herself. "It's okay. Ratchet will protect you. He'll keep you safe. It's okay." she whispered, mimicking what Ratchet used to do when she had awakened from yet another nightmare caused by Black Hole.

"Angela?" she heard. Her eyes shot open immediately. "Ratchet?!"

"Angela!"

Angela turned around. Standing a few feet away from her, was Ratchet.

"Ratchet!" Angela yelled, running forward. Suddenly, she was thrown backwards. She got up, but froze the second she saw Ratchet.

A look of pure horror was etched upon Ratchet's face for eternity as a large blade was sticking out of him. Angela wanted to scream, but suddenly, she felt as if she was drowning.

"He's dead..." the owner of the previously heard evil laugh said. "Torn in half..."

" _N-no!_ "

"Murdered in cold blood, exterminated like the animal he is..."

" _No!_ "

"Brutally ripped to pieces!"

" _N-n-no!_ "

"Dead. Murdered. Killed."

" _No!_ "

"And he hates you..."

"Nooooo!" Angela finally managed to scream, but immediately something began to strangle her. The second she blinked in shock, she nearly had a heart attack.

Ratchet was suddenly standing in front of her, strangling her. If that wasn't bad enough, Ratchet was looking horrible: his eyes were two white vortexes that seemed to glow, his fur was sickly green, his right ear was missing, as were various chunks of his skin. If Angela could, she'd have screamed in terror.

Zombie-Ratchet crushed her throat as he moved closer. "Aaaangeeelaaaaah..." the zombie hissed from deep within it's throat. "Whyyyy didn't you save meeeee..."

Angela wanted to scream, cry, flee, but she couldn't do anything.

Zombie-Ratchet opened it's mouth, revealing a set of razor-sharp teeth, and moved closer... closer... closer...

"AAAAAAH!" Angela cried out as she jumped up as if she'd been shot, nearly giving Fox a heart attack. "SON OF AN APAROID! WHAT THE SHIT JUST HAPPENED?!" the vulpine yelled in surprise.

Fox turned to Angela, and raised a brow in surprise. Angela was sitting, hugging her knees, her head resting against her knees, eyes closed, and crying.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Fox said as he got over to Angela. "Are you okay?"

Angela did not respond.

Fox sat down next to her. Krystal was having rough nights too when Fox first met her, her memories of the destruction of her homeworld Cerinia causing countless nightmares. He'd always comfort her when she had had another nightmare, that is, whenever the sound of her sobbing woke him up.

Fox patted her on the back. "Hey." he whispered. "It's okay. Calm down. It's okay. Nothing is going to hurt you."

"You don't get it!" Angela cried. "Ratchet was there, and... dead... worse, undead even!"

Fox frowned. "Eugh, that's terrible!"

Then it hit Fox. What if Ratchet truly had died? What if he hadn't survived the crash?

Fox felt horrible. If he had killed Ratchet... Fox shook his head, first things first, he had to get Angela to calm down. "Tell me, Ratchet, what does he mean to you?"

Angela blushed immediately. "I don't-"

"Angela, I'm way better at reading people than you think, something my friend Krystal taught me once. Don't lie."

Angela nodded. "You're right."

She took a deep breath. "He's the reason why I'm in Lylat. I... I love him. And I know in my heart that I always will. I've never had the courage to tell him though."

"You should tell him. Don't make the same mistake I made."

"But what if I'd ruin our friendship?"

"But is it seriously worth living a life full of question marks for?"

That made Angela think. Fox yawned. "You better hit the hay now, or in this case moss, if you still want a few hours of sleep."

"Yeah... you're right. Oh, and thank you."

"No problem." Fox said, lying down on his own improvised bed.

* * *

"How's it going now?" Kursed asked Ratchet, who was hard at work.

"Not much better than it was five minutes ago, dammit! You're really going to have me work on this all night huh?"

"If that's what it takes to get off this planet. Now, go operate that fancy contraption of yours."

"Okay, okay..." Ratchet mumbled as he got back to the construction he made. Using logs and twigs, he'd managed to construct something capable of pulling Kursed's ship out of the water.

"So this goes there..." Ratchet mumbled, lost in thought as he finished building the contraption. "Done." He said, clapping his hands together. "That should do it."

"Now what?"

"Just pull on that rope over there." Ratchet said, pointing at a rope he had managed to salvage from Kursed's ship's wreck.

"Me? I thought we agreed on the fact that you were going to do the pulling?"

"We didn't agree on anything, and it isn't my ship to begin with. I've even built the damn contraption, I think I've done more than enough. Happy pulling." Ratchet said with an annoyed glare as he got back to Aphelion.

"No, I don't think so." Kursed said, slowly. "You are going to pull my ship out, _right now_."

"Or else?" Ratchet yelled over his shoulder, clearly not amused.

"Or else, when I find that girlfriend of yours, I'm going to have a very... _interesting_ conversation with her about her shooting my ship down... you get what I mean by that, don't you?"

Ratchet slowly got up and turned around. He slowly approached Kursed, wrench ready. "If you even fucking dare to lay on a finger on her, I'll rip your arms off and shove them up your arse. Clear?" He spat.

"You really don't know who I am, do you?"

"You are a miserable lowlife."

Kursed laughed. "Not just a lowlife, I am the most feared bounty hunter in the entire Lylat system, and that's not because of my excellent service, but because of how I end my targets' lifes."

"And I am a hero known throughout three whole _galaxies_ , and that's not because I saved the entire universe once, not because I saved the entire universe twice, but because I saved the entire universe _ten_ damn times, and the villains I was up against where one heck of a lot tougher than you, so if you think that you intimidate me, you're wrong. In fact, I bet I could kick your sorry behind right here, right now, in under five minutes, so I'd be _very_ careful with my words if I were you." Ratchet growled.

Kursed suddenly grabbed a gun that had been hidden in her left glove. She pointed it at Ratchet. "And now the tides have turned, huh? Oh, but it gets better, I've got more than enough rounds for both you and that girlfriend of yours."

"I've been up against guns before."

"Pull my ship out right now, or I'll keep shooting at you until you're full of lead."

"Fine, as long as you piss off afterwards!" Ratchet yelled, grabbing the rope and beginning to pull. Thanks to all those years of being a hero, Ratchet was way stronger than one would guess, and after a few minutes the ship was on dry land. Ratchet flipped the bird at Kursed one last time before going back to Aphelion and continuing to work on the ship once again.

"Hey furryface!" Kursed yelled.

Ratchet let out a roar of frustration. "What is it this time?!"

"You haven't fixed my ship yet!"

"I don't have to!"

"Gun!"

"Whatever!"

"I can shoot you any second now!"

While Kursed couldn't see it, Ratchet was grinning. He was wearing the quantumfibre armour Hypernova had made for him, and according to the late hero in white, the armour was the second-best armour he could make. It even had an internal reservoir of nanotech, although Ratchet had already used the nanotech to fix his broken arm. Still, Ratchet had nothing to fear.

"Get some!" he yelled over his shoulder. Kursed growled, and got into her ship. She attempted to start it, and miraculously it still worked. She was careful not to let Ratchet know about this though, perhaps it would come in handy later.

Ratchet groaned as the sun began to rise. "And there goes my good nightrest."

"Oh, don't be such a whiner. And you say you've saved the universe ten times? Pathetic."

"Oh, zip it, you weak fool."

But then, a short, though powerful quake in the surface knocked both Ratchet and Kursed off their feet.

* * *

 **Alright, I'll let everyone guess what caused that earthquake. I'd be surprised if anyone has the correct answer. Actually, let's make it a small contest: the person who guesses correctly can submit an OC that will make an appearance in the story.  
**

 **The next chapter will be uploaded next Wednesday, until then, please review/favorite/follow, and (hopefully) see you in the next chapter!**


	5. The Phoenixes

**Alright, I'm back! Sorry for being a bit later than usual, I'm currently really, really busy. To sum up a few things:**

 **\- Test week (Why, school, WHY?!)**

 **\- Astronomy competition (With the deadline being April 1st)**

 **\- Planet coding competition (My planet's almost done, but again, deadline of April 1st)**

 **\- Updating my own stories (Thank goodness I'd already written a few chapters to keep this story up-to-date)**

 **\- Beta-reading (I've got not one, but two stories to beta-read, I'm not finished beta-reading and by the looks of things I won't have time for it either)**

 **\- And much much more, so I'll keep this quick and get back to work immediately.**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Max Chronicle: " _Nightmares...First Black Hole, then Qwark, now unnamed evil voice guy. Might as well plan the next three sources of nightmares while your at it. (And there better be no zombies)_**  
 ** _Cool that they all switched up travel partners; shook it up a bit. Plus, the pace changed a little as well, not nearly as much action. But there was language, cool._**  
 ** _Now, about this contest...hmmm, well, I'll "giant ground creature"._**  
 ** _Max out._**  
 ** _P.S. Glad to see Hypernova mentioned again. (Salutes)_ "**  
 **Ooh, boy, you have no idea what's up ahead... Let's say... 'spiz squared'. As for your guess, you'll have to read on and see. I must warn you though, you'll most likely fall off your seat.**

 **Destiny W: " _I'm glad everyone walked away from those crashes OK. I can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter. Keep up the great work. : )_ "**  
 **Well, relatively okay, nobody really got away without at least a few cuts and bruises, but nothing time or Nanotech can't fix. As for what is about to happen, I guess you'll have to wait and see...**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: " _I learned a bit more about Star Fox and I think that it was some sort of giant lifeform that caused the quake. I heard that in the original Star Fox, planet Fortuna was called Dinosaur Planet. I'm not sure if it was a dinosaur, but I think it might be. Sorry if I'm wrong, I still don't know that much about this planet at all. Fortunian Dissolvers sound pretty gross, that's for sure. Anyway, good luck on the next chapter, and I look forward to reading it!_**  
 ** _P. S. I also heard a line when I had that one robot annihilated. It was pretty unsettling. Especially since Ratchet and Clank Future : A Crack in Time happened to be my favourite Ratchet and Clank game..._**  
 ** _P. S. S. There is also a line in Ratchet and Clank Future : Tools of Destruction that was pretty disturbing... I'll spare you the details of THAT particular one..._ "**  
 **Indeed, Fortuna was referred to as Dinosaur Planet more than once, but Fortuna and Dinosaur Planet A.K.A Sauria are two different planets. In the original game, there was another major screw up in the translations: planet Fichina was accidentally named Fortuna in the English version, thank goodness they fixed that issue in the 3DS remake. As for what caused the quake, I'm afraid you'll have to read on...**  
 **P.S. Yeah, that line's unsettling alright! I agree with you, ACIT was awesome! I really liked that you could fly between planets yourself this time, it's that freedom, the ability to fly around and explore, that I had missed in all R &C games up until then.**  
 **P.S.S. Let me guess, Qwark finding that infobot in Tachyon's underwear? Whatever it was, I bet it involved Tachyon, that guy was pretty gross. Plus, he killed the Lombaxes, and I like Lombaxes, so, of course, I was more than happy to blow that guy to smithereens. And since I love ridiculously overpowered weapons for some reason, by the time I had to face Tahcyon I was more than capable of blowing up an entire planet. Combine that with the fact that I've played and finished all Ratchet & Clank games at the highest difficulty (Including Into The Nexus and FFA, for Full Frontal Assault I mean things like finishing the campaign using only the wrench, or beating the speed records set by Insomniac), and you'll likely understand that Tachyon was a piece of cake. Can't wait for the PS4 game, because yes, I can blow stuff up again!**

 **Heather: " _That was pretty intense. This was an amazingly written chapter and I love the story so far. You are an excellent, no, awesome, no, beyond awesome writer! Again, one hundred percent perfect chapter!_ "**  
 **Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much.**

 **saviour of worlds: " _I like it when you set up a little contest. It gives us a little upportunity to change the story. And again a exciting chapter. I can't wait for the next one! So something caused a big quake? a big animal, some sort of dinosaur? Black Hole? Is dr. nefarious who's angry about his groovytron nightmare? was it my burrito!? Or Bob!? I looked for clues in previous chapters but i didn't find anything. I guess I have to wait for the next chapter then! (wich I can't) P.S. : If you see bob, immediately call the security! we need to catch that lunatic..._ "**  
 **Thanks! As for your guesses, I guess you'll have to wait and see...**  
 **Also, Dr. Nefarious and the groovitrons? Bob?! (Wait, what?) Let's hope it's not either of those, shall we?**  
 **P.S. I'll keep an eye out for explosions, alright?**

* * *

"What the hell was that?!" Ratchet yelled as he got up after landing rather uncomfortably.

"The hell do I know!" Kursed yelled, who had been launched into the lake, and who was climbing out of the water with a face of pure annoyance. Rathcet couldn't help but laugh, further increasing the vixen's rage. "Hey! Earthquakes can't happen on Fortuna, furface!"

Ratchet stopped laughing immediately. "Then what the hell was that?!"

"Do I look like I know?"

"No, you look like you know nothing at all."

"Ha ha, furface. Let's see what that quake was all about. I see smoke in the distance though, perhaps that's the source."

"Asteroid impact." Ratchet yelled with a roll of his eyes.

"But," Kursed said with an evil grin, "Perhaps your girlfriend's on it's way to whatever caused that earthquake as well."

"Angela isn't my girlfriend." Ratchet said with a growl.

"Well, in that case you don't mind if I kill her? Because I do plan on damaging her significantly for making me crash on this giant ball of crap."

"You wouldn't." Ratchet growled.

"You'll never know!" Kursed yelled over her shoulder as she ran off into the woods. Ratchet attached his wrench to his back and ran after her, cursing under his breath.

* * *

Angela's sleep was interrupted once again, this time by her painfully getting launched into the wall. "Ooow!" she groaned. But then it hit her: she got launched?

"What just happened?" She asked Fox, who looked just as baffled as she was. "I don't know! It was as if something huge crashed nearby, we should go check it out. In case it's a vehicle, someone might need our help."

"Gotcha." Angela said. The two got up and got outside. Noticing the smoke in the distance, they ran off into the forest. However, whilst running, Angela suddenly noticed a golden colored dot out of the corner of her eye.

She froze. It was Ratchet. Angela completely forgot about the crashed object, and ran after Ratchet immediately. She opened her mouth to yell his name, and...

Angela suddenly tripped over something. She looked over her shoulder, searching for what she had tripped over. " _A wire?!_ "

Suddenly, something moved in the bushes next to her. Angela rolled around and prepared herself. It was...

Kursed. "Kursed, what the-"

"Goodnight, jackpot!" Kursed said as she knocked Angela out cold with the side of her blaster. Kursed began to drag the unconscious Lombax into the direction of her miraculously still functional ship.

* * *

Ratchet froze as he reached the crash site. It hadn't been an impact.

If it had been an impact, trees surely would've been damaged. Instead, the forest in front of him was intact. What freaked him out though is that, in front of him, the forest looked... 'different'.

Instead of green and teeming with life, the leaves of the trees ahead were black, and gave off a sense of dread. What he had thought to be smoke was in fact a gigantic black cloud hovering over the area, blocking the light. The grass was black too, and the trees had this black sludge all over them.

Needless to say, Ratchet was horrified.

"SON OF AN APARIOD, WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?" he heard a familiar voice coming from deep within the dark forest. Ratchet didn't think twice, and ran into the dark forest. If Fox was there, perhaps Angela was with him too.

* * *

"SON OF AN APARIOD, WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!" Fox yelled as he, too, reached what appeared to be a border of good and evil. He covered his mouth immediately, half-expecting to get a shove from Angela.

Wait, where was Angela?

Fox looked around. Angela wasn't there. "Angela?" he yelled. No answer.

Fox frowned. "Perhaps she went ahead." he mumbled as he walked into the dark forest. The second he crossed the border, the otherwise persistent chirping of birds stopped immediately, and it was eerily quiet, the only sound being the howling of the wind. Fox would've sword he heard a laugh echoing from deep within the dark forest, but he wasn't certain. Chills went down his spine as he walked further, the temperature dropping drastically the further he walked into the forest.

After walking for a relatively short period of time, he got to a roughly circular place in the middle of the dark forest that was completely devoid of trees. He looked around. "Strange." he muttered. "Very, very strange."

"You!" he heard a voice scream. He turned to the left, to where the voice came from. Ratchet came running at him. "Where is she?!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Fox yelled, getting out of the way of a wrench just in time.

"Where is Angela?!"

"I don't know! The only reason I walked into this cursed place is because I figured she must've walked ahead into this area!"

"You mean you've _lost_ her?!"

"Of course not!"

"Then how-"

Ratchet was interrupted by him and Fox getting sent flying by a sudden shockwave coming from the center of the tree-less circle.

A twisted, evil laugh echoed through the area. "What the crap was that?!" Fox yelled.

"I don't know, but I've heard that laugh before."

"Where?"

"That's the problem, I don't remember. Where was it... where do I know that voice from..."

Then it hit Ratchet. "No way!" he yelled. "It can't be!"

"What can't be?!"

"It's him! Oh, dear god no, it's him!"

"Who?!"

"Me." an all too familiar voice spoke, coming from above them.

Fox and Ratchet looked up. Nothing but the dark clouds covering the forest. Then, suddenly, something came crashing down from the clouds, landing in the exact center of the circle with enough force to cause a minor earthquake that sent the two heroes flying.

They got up, and looked at what had fallen from the sky. It was humanoid, and covered in black metal armour of some sorts, with the soles of his feet, edges of his gloves, fingers, shoulder guards, kneecaps, and some other small extra plates being blood red in color, and glowing slightly. It had no face, instead it's face was hidden behind glass that was only transparent from the inside, the rest of the head hidden behind a black metal helmet, with a blood red line where the metal and glass met.

Across the figure's chest were two blood red lines, creating an X, with an emblem where the two lines crossed, the emblem being a sword pointing downwards, carving a person in two.

Fox instinctively grabbed his blaster and began to fire like a madman. The figure laughed, the plasma bullets bouncing off his armour and dealing no damage at all. "Save your ammo Fox, you can't harm him." Ratchet said.

"What?!"

"Indestructum plating. Not even a black hole's pull can rip that guy apart... unfortunately."

"Plating made of what now?"

"Indeed..." the figure suddenly spoke up. "Not only because I am invincible, but also because I... AM... BLACK HOLE!"

Fox burst out laughing. "Your name is what now?"

Black Hole simply raised his hand, and Fox was thrown into the air. Black Hole brought his hand back down, and Fox was slammed against the ground. "Do you understand, you weak mortal?'' he said with a disturbingly calm voice as he crushed Fox. If Fox had been able to, he would've been nodding like a madman.

"Okay, okay, he understands you alright!" Ratchet yelled. "Now what did you do to Angela, you miserable little coward?!"

"Angela?" Black Hole said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "Angela... oh, yeah, that foolish girl. Where is she? I'd love to rub it in her face that I gave her another nightmare last night."

Ratchet growled. He knew all too well that nightmares caused by Black Hole were really, really bad, and the fact that he hadn't been there to comfort her pained him. As if he could read minds, Fox whispered "Don't worry, Krystal used to have nightmares, so I knew exactly what do to."

"Thank you." Ratchet whispered back.

"Enough chit-chat." Black Hole said. "I presume you know why I am here, right?"

"No, not at all."

Black Hole laughed. "Then you're just as stupid as I remember, perhaps even dumber. Not to worry though, when I'm done with you those weak brains of yours will be splattered all over this planet, just like the rest of you."

"That's... just gross." Fox said.

"Oh, but don't think you're off the hook." Black Hole said with an evil laugh. "I won't only kill Ratchet because of something personal, but also because I want him out of the way when I begin to tear this universe asunder, and I can't exactly have you in my way either."

"Wait..." Ratchet mumbled. "If Black Hole survived, then what happened to..."

* * *

" _Boosters? Check. Shields? Check. Everything is working. I better get going then._ "

Suddenly, an asteroid orbiting the faraway planet Bellarynthos suddenly exploded. Something shot out of the debris at more than one hundred times the speed of light. It accelerated even further, flying straight at Lylat.

"Caution: object in the way!" a female voice spoke inside the figure's helmet.

"What is it?"

The figure was shown the image of a giant star. The figure frowned. "I refuse to slow." It said as it accelerated even further. "Are you planning on doing what I think you are planning on doing?"

"Just that."

"A speed of maximum 150 lightyears per second would be the maximum."

"Thank you." the figure mumbled, accelerating far beyond 150 lightyears per second.

It smashed into the star at a spectacular speed, the figure's shields taking the blow. The light was intense, and if it wasn't for the hyper-advanced heat and light shielding, the figure would've been fried and/or permanently blinded instantly. It smashed through the star's heart, only to came shooting out of the star on the other side mere seconds later. It accelerated even further, to thousands of times the speed of light, and within seconds it had reached Lylat. It began to slow, a green planet coming into view.

* * *

"Wait..." Ratchet mumbled. "If Black Hole survived, then what happened to..."

As Ratchet was about to finish his sentence, something came shooting through the clouds, slamming into the ground mere feet in front of the Lombax. Needless to say, Ratchet nearly had a heart attack.

It was a man. A man Ratchet knew all too well.

"No... it... it can't be..." Ratchet stammered.

The man turned around, and looked at Ratchet with two familiar brown eyes. "Hey, Ratchet."

Simon Polaris.

"Uuuh... what exactly is happening?" Fox wondered out loud.

Simon turned around to face Black Hole. Simon was wearing black jeans, a white shirt, and a black leather vest. On top of that he was wearing bulky heavy-looking metal shoes, gloves, and a helmet with a visor. "If you want to touch Ratchet, you'll have to kill _me_ first."

Black Hole laughed. "You're run right into my trap! Everything went _exactly_ as planned! I knew that you were alive, and I knew you would come, and I knew that you weren't clever enough to make _backups_ in case something went wrong, but as you can see I wasn't as foolish. So what are you gonna do now? You, a weak, tiny, puny mortal versus me, a genius with enough power to rival a god?"

"That's exactly your weak spot, Black Hole: your immense ego. Or should I say... Derrick?"

Black Hole gasped. "Don't you dare call me-"

"Derrick? Alright, alright, don't start crying now." Simon replied with a smug grin, something that annoyed Black Hole greatly. "Enough!" Black Hole yelled. "Now that you've got no _puppet_ to hide behind, I'll kill you once and for all, and then nothing, _nothing_ will stand in my way! Then every universe that is, was, or ever will be is mine to destroy!"

A sword made of glowing red energy formed in Black Hole's hands, and immediately the villain charged forward. Simon didn't move.

Black Hole grinned evilly as he prepared to drill a hole right through Simon, but his smile faded and he stopped immediately when Simon opened his hands.

Black Hole barely had enough time to scream "No way!" before a glowing green beam shot out of Simon's right hand, right in the villain's face. "Eat it." Simon growled. "One dose of Radiatum right in your face."

Ratchet and Fox watched (the latter greatly confused) as Black Hole's armour began to melt. "You _idiot!_ " Black Hole yelled. "Look at what you've done!"

Black Hole roared as he shot forward and brought his sword down on Simon. The armour covering Simon's body suddenly exploded, and Black Hole got covered in Radiatum. The villain roared in anger. "This... isn't... over!" he yelled as he melted completely, until Black Hole was nothing more than a puddle of a black and crimson substance.

The forest responded immediately, the dark clouds and the sludge covering the trees disappearing immediately, and the leaves and grass turned green once again. In mere seconds it was as if there had been no dark forest at all.

"What... what just happened?" Ratchet asked, unable to keep up with all that was happening.

"It's not over. He will return."

"What do you mean? And how are you-"

"Alive? I will answer everything later, right now it is very important that we get off this planet and into space."

"But how? Our ships have been ruined!"

"Which is why I brought some help."

Suddenly, Fox' ears picked up an all too familiar noise. He'd recognize the sound of those engines anywhere. "No way!" Fox yelled.

"Way." Simon replied, staring up at the sky.

There it was, the titanic battlecruiser known as the Great Fox, slowly descending from the sky. "B-b-but the Great Fox was destroyed during the Apariod invasion!" Fox said.

"Yes, but, like every ship, it can be rebuilt."

"B-but how? You can't possibly afford that!"

"Well, knowing how to build things yourself does come in handy."

"You've built that entire thing yourself?!" Ratchet said.

"Not entirely. I may no longer have Hypernova's powers, but back at my lab I still have some machines capable of replicating some of his powers, including the ability to build things out of nothing by using super-compressed matter. I was able to rebuild the Great Fox entirely."

"But how are we gonna get up there?" Fox asked. "Our ships are busted, and I doubt there's a place large enough for the Great Fox to land."

Simon merely grinned. A white Star Explorer with blue wings and blue stripes running over it's hull came flying down from the sky.

"But, what about our ships? We can't just leave them here." Ratchet said.

"When I rebuild the Great Fox, I couldn't help but add a few... 'improvements', such as a tractor beam. Your ships are being picked up as we speak." Simon said, pointing at a small dot hovering underneath the Great Fox that was approaching said battlecruiser.

"But what about Angela?" Ratchet said. "Now that I think of it, I haven't seen Kursed either."

Simon frowned. "I did notice a ship taking off not to far from here when I was approaching the planet. I did notice something golden visible inside the cockpit, but I pushed it to the back of my mind, stopping Black Hole was more important. That guy just doesn't know ways to die."

"About him, a few minutes ago, you named him 'Derrick', why did he react so shocked?"

"I will explain everything later. Let's get off this planet first."

They got into the Star Explorer, and Simon took off, flying towards the Great Fox' upper hangar.

* * *

After landing, they went straight to the bridge of the Great Fox. Immediately ROB 65 came to life, and greeted Fox as normal, much to said vulpine's surprise. "What the hell..."

"Fox, meet ROB 65, he's the same old ROB 64, but with a few improvements."

"I can now calculate more stuff!" ROB blared.

"That's... actually really cool." Fox said.

"Enough chatter, start explaining." Ratchet said, glaring at Simon.

Simon nodded. "I can understand you're not quite happy to see me, for me standing here means that I lied to you and made you believe that I had died. In fact, I fooled everyone, tricked them into believing that I was dead, for the simple reason that I could melt into the shadows once again, where I could come up with a plan of attack. As for why I would need to come up with a plan, for that I have to explain something about Hypernova, and why I am still alive."

Simon cleared his throat. "Hypernova and Black Hole were blown to smithereens, however, everyone had forgotten what they actually were. Hypernova was nothing more than a robotic body, a machine operated by me from a distance. I believe I had told you that once. Since Black Hole had completely copied Hypernova, he would also have been a remote-controlled machine, and thus by blowing Hypernova and Black Hole to smithereens I was only delaying the inevitable, Black Hole would return.

In fact, I had not died in the explosion, and the hologram you saw in the middle of the night was being controlled by me, not some machine. I'm sorry for tricking you, but I had to stay dead until I could figure out a plan of attack. And I have got a plan."

"What plan?"

"I will not tell you until it's set in motion, the risk of Black Hole finding out would be too great otherwise."

"Fair enough, but what the hell just happened down there?" Fox said.

"I believe we haven't been introduced. My name is Simon. Simon Polaris. I was a good friend of Ratchet's parents, and I took care of Ratchet for a few years after his parents had been killed by an attack, the goal of the attack being to make the Lombaxes go extinct."

Fox frowned. "Ugh, that's just horrible!"

 **(Author's note: there will be massive spoilers for Epilogue up ahead, so I do not advise reading on unless you've read Epilogue first. You can read on, but you'll have lots of surprises ruined if you haven't read Epilogue and plan on doing so)**

"Tell me about it, I saw the destruction first-hand. People dying everywhere, it was horrible! Anyhow, I took care of Ratchet, before I had to fake my death in order to keep him alive, even though doing so meant that Ratchet would have to live his life believing that I had died, although that's obviously better than not living at all. Another thing you do not know about me: while I was studying with Ratchet's father, Kaden, and his good friend Alister, I witnessed a mass murder committed by pirates. And I could do nothing. I found it so unfair that I could not let it go, and thus in secret I designed and built Hypernova, the ultimate warrior. An indestructible, unstoppable warrior that stands for all that's right. As Hypernova, I used my invisibility to watch over Ratchet, rewinding time if he would get killed in his attempts to save the universe, and leaving some money lying around here and there. Ratchet had no idea that something was helping him all along.

Skip ahead a few years, I was forced to make my presence known to Ratchet when I uncovered a nefarious plan to kill the rest of the Lombaxes. You see, the few Lombaxes that had lasted long enough during the attack fled to another dimension. I tried to talk to Ratchet, but since he had been in an all-out war to protect the planet he grew up on mere seconds earlier, he was a bit too trigger-happy for reasoning, and thus I was forced to put him and his lifelong friend Clank to sleep and bring them to my base, a secret laboratory hidden inside an asteroid orbiting in the rings of a faraway planet.

I told Ratchet about the history I had with his parents, though Ratchet had no idea that it was me controlling Hypernova, he could not see my face while I was controlling Hypernova and when I was taking care of him when he was a kid I had not told him anything about his parents, for little Ratchet did not know what had happened to his race. I let him live with the idea that there were other Lombaxes out there, perhaps even his parents, rather than shattering that dream by telling him that his race had been driven to extinction by a surprise attack on one horrible night.

However, before I could tell Ratchet about what I had found out, the alarms went off in my laboratory. There was someone in great danger. As it turned out, it was Angela Cross, one of the few Lombaxes left in this reality and a good friend of Ratchet, although she had gone missing not long after the adventure in which Ratchet and Angela had first met. When we arrived, Angela was already dead, though I managed to bring her back by shifting time without anyone but me knowing.

Moving on, Angela joined the team, and I told them about what I had heard, and what my plan was. You see, long long ago the Polaris galaxy was being dominated by the Cragmites, a race of ugly, violent, greedy and merciless creatures. When the Lombaxes grew tired of their reign, they rebelled against the Cragmites, successfully defeating them and banishing them to another dimension.

However, a few years after that war a Cragmite egg was discovered deep inside Lombax trillium mines. Deciding that they would not blame an innocent child for the crimes of it's race, the Lombaxes raised the Cragmite as one of their own. However, the Cragmite learned of it's race's fate and, driven by the thirst for revenge, he came up with a plan to exterminate the Lombaxes and bring back the Cragmites. He was the one behind the attack, and after the Lombaxes had been killed, he took over Polaris by force. His last mistake was attacking Metropolis on Planet Kerwan where Ratchet was at the time. Ratchet successfully defeated Tachyon and locked him away in another reality, not the one the other Cragmites had been trapped in nor the one the Lombaxes had fled to, but another reality, a nearly empty one.

The Cragmites that had been banished had begun to construct devices capable of tearing their way though reality and create a bridge between dimensions, using stolen Lombax technology as study. I already wondered how they had managed to acquire such technology, but I would find out later that it had all been a part of the nefarious plan of my self-proclaimed nemesis Black Hole.

Upon entering the Cragmite dimension, we made our way to the heart of the facility, where Black Hole made his presence known. I had defeated him a long, long time ago after he had first risen to power, destroying countless innocent worlds and exterminating every person one them, one by one. This time, however, Black Hole had a different plan. He had created a clone of Hypernova, how he managed to do that I did not know, and attempted to use the cloned Hypernova's powers for evil. The material Hypernova was made of, indestructum, has the weird property that it is indeed indestructible unless it is exposed to the element Radiatum, which is what I used against Black Hole on Fortuna. Indestructum also changes depending on who touches it however, someone with a good heart will make it turn white while evil will make it become black.

I managed to defeat Black Hole, but at a price: we were evenly matched. So, how would you defeat a clone of yourself? Simply: how would you defeat yourself? I blew Hypernova to smithereens, destroying Black Hole in the process.

A few weeks after my presumed death, I made a hologram of Hypernova appear in Ratchet's room, and led him back to my lab in the asteroid. I first showed him Hypernova's true face, and then I showed him what I had been working on all those years: with one massive time-shift, I had managed to save all Lombaxes that had been killed during the original attack, but to prevent reality from changing, I always have to do something specific when reviving someone: firstly, I travel back in time, and watch as they are killed. I then turn back the clock again, only to freeze time when the person I came to save is just billionths of a second away from death. I heal them and get them out of there, but I leave a lifeless clone of them behind to prevent the present from changing. I could not let the saved Lombaxes return immediately, for it would change the shape of things to come in a negative way.

But that night, with the surviving Lombaxes back in this reality, it was time. I gave Ratchet the honor of sending the saved Lombaxes back though. Don't worry, the saved Lombaxes had not aged nor been awake since the attack, so they were able to dive right back into their lives. Okay, maybe not right back, they had some catching up to do, but you know what I mean. I had also saved Ratchet's parents though, as well as Alister, who had sacrificed himself to save the universe after misusing a powerful artifact in his endeavors to bring back the Lombaxes by preventing himself from making the fatal mistake of granting Tachyon full access to the Lombax technology.

I had also saved Angela's parents, though I could not let them go yet, they weren't ready. I asked Ratchet not to tell Angela about her parents' true fate, because she likely would not believe him. Ratchet kept his promise, something I'm very grateful for, though Angela knew me from her childhood too, and I believe she hates me for not bringing back her parents, or she believes I haven't done that. Speaking of her, Ratchet, where is she?"

"That's the problem." Ratchet said. "I have no idea, and it really bothers me."

Simon nodded. "The Great Fox is now capable of scanning the surface of a planet for a specific person, though it is limited to the surface underneath the scanner, so it'll take a few days to scan a planet. On this occasion, I bet we can use Great Fox' scanner to search the area for Angela."

"Do it, now!" Ratchet yelled, running over to the window on the far side of the cockpit through which you could see what was in front of the Great Fox, in this case Fortuna.

"Command understood, scanning... insert biosignature!" ROB blared.

Simon stepped forward and began to type on a keyboard. "What are you doing?" Fox asked, walking over to him.

"I haven't got a DNA sample of Angela, so I'm entering her genetic code by hand."

"You know a code of thousands of characters out of your head?!"

"No, but I do now the codes for Lombax fur or their trademark ears, which should narrow down the search results significantly."

"Yeah, I see." Fox mumbled. "Do you think you can find someone for me too?"

"Who do you want to find?"

"A good friend of mine that went missing, Krystal."

"Have you got a DNA sample of her? A hair, for instance?"

"No."

Simon frowned. "Then I'm afraid I cannot help you, the scanner can only search for a specific genetic code. Speaking of the scanner, initiating scan... now!"

A hologram of Fortuna suddenly showed up in the middle of the bridge, and there were a few orange dots visible. Simon moved his hands over the hologram, and it zoomed in. He frowned. "All I can find is a few hairs, no sign of her though."

Ratchet frowned. "That's not possible, her ship was broken, she can't just have vanished."

"I know, I recovered her ship."

Ratchet's eyes widened. "Did you also recover this ship..."

Ratchet described Kursed's ship. Simon frowned. "No, as a matter of fact, I did not. I believe I saw it flying off though, and with the results of the scan, I have no doubts that the golden dot I saw in the cockpit was Angela."

"Nice and all, but how are we gonna find her?"

"I'm not sure if we even can." Simon said, frowning. "I guess the best we can do for now is scan each planet in Lylat, since I doubt Kursed's ship can travel interstellar."

Ratchet let out a groan of frustration, and sat down with a sigh. Simon walked over to him, and laid a hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "Hey. I know she means a lot to you. We'll find her, Ratch. I promise."

Suddenly, all alarms went off. "What the hell?!" Fox yelled.

Simon ran over to the controls. Typing on the keyboard like a madman, he frantically searched for what was causing the alarm. When Ratchet noticed that Simon had become a bit pale, he knew that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Oh my god..." Simon whispered.

"What?"

"There's... _something_ going on inside Fortuna. I don't know what it is, but-"

Suddenly, Fortuna's surface began to crack and split. But as if that wasn't frightening enough, mere minutes later the planet suddenly vanished. Everyone yelled in surprise, and ROB activated the warp drive immediately. "WHAT THE CRAP WAS THAT?!" Fox yelled. "WHAT HAPPENED TO FORTUNA?!"

"I... I don't know." Simon replied, looking just as baffled as Fox.

* * *

 **Whoo, the plot thickens! Like I said earlier, very little time, so I'll keep this quick. First off, forget all the guessing, I was planning on saying this anyway: you can all submit an OC that will appear in the story. Of course, I will give proper credit at the end of each chapter.  
**

 **Also, SIMON'S BACK! I bet nobody was expecting that to happen, eh? Now, I did say to some friends of mine that Hypernova would stay dead. I didn't lie, Hypernova did not return, did he? Simon did.**

 **And, just for this occasion, I will be hosting an Ask My OC contest, joining us here is Simon Polaris himself, straight from the story after I spectacularly broke the fourth wall by writing these author's notes. Simon, any comments on you entering the story again?**

 **"Well, of course! I normally would react differently, but for once I'm going to say 'who cares' and say this anyway, I'M BACK! And this time, I'm going to make sure that slippery scumbag called Black Hole won't escape again. I mean, I'm getting really, really tired of cleaning up after him."**

 **Alright, if I don't grow bored of breaking the fourth wall in the meantime, perhaps we'll continue this interview this Saturday. As for the 'Ask My OC' event, just shoot me a PM or leave a review.**

 **Anyhow, let me allow Simon to back into the story and apologize to the fourth wall, and get back to commenting on the story. Where did Angela go? But more importantly, what is Kursed planning to do? And what happened to Fortuna? And do I have enough time to get through the pile of work in front of me? Probaby not if I keep writing these author's notes, so I'm ending the author's notes here. Again, please review/favorite/follow, and (hopefully) see you all in the next chapter, which is going up this Saturday, April 2nd 2016.**

 **P.S. bonus points for everyone who figures out why this chapter is named 'The Phoenixes'...**


	6. Searching

**A bit late, but still, here is the next chapter! Anyhow, reviews first!  
**

 **Reviews:**

* * *

 **zenith88: "** ** _Sorry that i forgot to review. Again. I somewhat tend to forget letting writers know about how good i think their work is. Only for protocoll, even if i don't review you could be sure i'm reading youf story. To the question about what OC you want to use i'd say you should use Zenit again as i think he would fit this Story._ "  
Zenit again? Alright then, expect him to appear soon, likely in chapter eight or nine. It'll be a challenge to integrate him into the story though, but I already got an idea... And don't worry about forgetting to review, that someone reads my story is already worth a lot to me. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I'm happy that Simon is back. I didn't see that coming. :)_ "  
I didn't think anyone saw that one coming, which was another reason why I couldn't wait to post the last chapter: I couldn't wait for the moment at which Simon would return to the story once again. Anyhow, I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: " _This was such an awesome chapter and I'm so darn glad Simon's alive! Totally one of my favourite characters in this story!_**  
 _ **P. S. Things are definitely not going well for our favourite heroes that's for sure...**_  
 _ **P. S. 's my new OC :**_

 _ **Name : Cora Keene**_  
 _ **Codename : Nebula**_  
 _ **Species : Lombax**_  
 _ **Gender : Female**_  
 _ **Armour : Scavenger Suit (from Quest for Booty)**_  
 _ **Physical Appearance : Black fur with turquoise stripes, purple eyes, and dark blue hair, almost black, with silver highlights**_  
 _ **Hair Style : side bangs parted to the right, straight hair, cut about two inches from the shoulders**_  
 _ **Main weapon : Pratoren Guard wrench**_  
 _ **Projectile weapons : Constructo Pistol, Shock Ravaged, and Spiral of Carnage**_  
 _ **Personality : interested in technology, very kind, naive sometimes**_  
 _ **Strengths : skilled in combat, inventor, sometimes uses environment to her advantage, strategist**_  
 _ **Weaknesses : geeky, bad habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, allergic to reptiles**_  
 _ **Catchphrase : "When ever I say things can't get worse, they always get worse..."**_

 _ **I almost forgot about Cora's history :**_

 _ **Cora was born on Planet Fastoon but abducted by Tacyon's forces when the Lombaxes were attacked. An unknown Lombax managed to rescue her and take her to Sargasso, and despite the supposed fact that all lifeforms in the universe were allergic to Kerchu, she was raised there. However, when she was fourteen, Tachyon had the unknown Lombax executed when he found out. He attempted to hunt her down and Cora escaped to the Bogon Galaxy, where she now works for the Defense Force.**_ **"  
And I'm so happy that I've finally posted the chapter in which he made his return!  
P.S. Nope, they've got a hard time ahead of them, but I promise you, you're going to love chapter 8!  
As for your OC, OC accepted, expect to see her taking the skies in the next few chapters, likely around chapter eight or nine. As for how she gets to Lylat, I've come up with the following idea: when she hears about Lombaxes returning to Fastoon, she heads there to see for herself if the rumors were true, and with what Hypernova did (saving all the Lombaxes and stuff) if she could possibly locate some of her relatives, only to get attacked by pirates as she passes through Lylat, but team Star Falco comes to the rescue, and that's where she enters the story. Does that sound good to you? Also, have you designed a ship for her? It can be any ship, as long as it can fight it's good to go.**

 **Heather: "** ** _Again, very awesome and very intense! You do beyond amazing work! I totally wish Insomniac would hire you so we could play this as a game- it's so perfect! But I still love it as a story!  
P. S. Bob? As in B.O.B. the blob from Monsters vs Aliens? Yes, I'm a nerd. No, I'm not ashamed of it! Lol...  
P. P. S. I'm so glad Simon's alive! Great, now I want to hug him..._"  
Well, who knows, perhaps sometime in the distant future I'll make a game in which you can play as Hypernova / Simon, although I can't make a game of the Epilogue series with R&C appearing, copyrights and stuff.  
P.S. Are you referring to saviour of worlds' review? I've spoken to him through private messaging about submitting an OC, and I actually asked him what Bob to look out for, and he replied that he actually randomly picked a name and chose Bob. About the OC's, you may submit an OC that will make an appearance in the story. And about being a nerd, I honestly doubt you'd beat me, with my knowlegde of Astronomy, Physics, Maths, Chemistry, Biology, basically my knowlegde of science, and I'm totally not ashamed of that!  
P.S.S. Simon: "Oh..." *blushes* "Uuh... I honestly don't know what to reply right now. I honestly haven't been in a situation like this before, you see."**

 **saviour of worlds: " _Well, it looks like... I Was right! in my previous review I said the following: " a big animal, some sort of dinosaur? Black hole? Is dr. nefarious who's angry about his groovytron nightmare? was it my burrito!? Or Bob!?" (And now for BONUS DUCKS, I mean points) The chapter is called phoenixes because when a phoenix dies, It comes back from the dead again. Simon came (sort of) back from the dead too._**

 _ **An awesome chapter (agian) with a lot of explaining. I'm looking forward for more!**_ **"  
BONUS DUCKS! Haha! And yes, you were totally correct on both accounts! And expect your OC to appear somewhere around chapter 8 or 9, that's where I plan on adding the submitted OC's. I must say, I totally love your OC ("Aah, no sound will ever beat 'Kaboom'!").**

* * *

"Hey." a voice said in the distance.

"Hey!" The voice said again, louder. "Hey, wake up!"

Angela tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't listen. "Please, wake up!" the voice spoke again, this time sounding desperate. Angela forced her eyes to open. She was sitting in the back of a truck. Her hands were bound together by a rope, and there were other people next and across from her, sitting on uncomfortable wooden benches. Angela also noticed that she was wearing different clothing: her usual jumpsuit was gone, instead she was wearing a white shirt and jeans that seemed to be specifically designed to not keep any heat inside, and her gloves and shoes were gone. Angela shivered. "Where am I?" she said, turning to where the voice came from.

A man was sitting next to her. He looked canine, with green fur and brown eyes "You're better off dead." he mumbled. "What?" Angela asked.

"He means that we're screwed." a voice spoke from her left that she recognized from earlier, she had accidentally mistaken where the voice came from. "What do you mean?" Angela asked, turning to her left. A woman that was the same species as the man had spoken to her earlier.

"You truly have no idea?" the man spoke.

"No."

"Kursed caught you too, eh?"

"I guess... I remember falling to the ground, and after that, nothing."

The man shook his head. "We're all gonna die. Or worse."

"Can you please stop being so vague and explain, dammit!" Angela hissed, getting a bit tired of this.

"I heard Kursed." the woman muttered. "I heard her talking about you, how you were 'the jackpot', how you, being one of the few Lombaxes left, perhaps the last one, would be worth quite a lot on the black market."

"The black market?"

"We're all rare species. The man sitting to your right, that'd be my husband. We're Ilisans, from the planet Ilisa. Our species is indeed very rare, though not endangered. What about you? Are Lombaxes rare?"

"Until fairly recently the Lombax species was nearly extinct. However, a hero by the name of Hypernova brought back all Lombaxes. Well, nearly all of them..."

The Ilisian woman gasped. "Oh, snap!"

"What?"

"If Kursed finds out you're not rare... she'll kill you, you know too much!"

Angela sighed. "I figured. What's with the outfits?"

"Special clothing. It ensures we won't escape."

"Why?"

"Because it's so cold here, without proper clothing you'll freeze to death in minutes."

Angela shivered again. "But what is Kursed going to do with us?"

"She's going to sell us as slaves."

Angela's face went pale. "So it's either freezing to death... or being forced to work for the rest of my life?"

The Ilisian woman nodded. "It gets worse, they're going to separate the men from the women. I... the moment we arrive... I won't ever see Rilax again!" she said, starting to cry.

Rilax reacted immediately. He tried to get to her, pulling with all his might, but his bindings had been chained to the floor. There was nothing he or Angela could do. "It'll be okay, dear." he muttered.

"No! It won't be!"

Rilax sighed. "Could someone please kill us and save us from that life of misery..." he muttered.

Angela's ears lowered, and she fought back her tears. She would never see Ratchet again.

The vehicle stopped moving, and the chains suddenly clicked open, allowing everyone to stand up. The doors in the back were opened, and they were forced out of the truck, men separated from the women.

Angela was led into a small cell, the only things inside being a wooden plank attached to the wall that served as a bed and a hole in the floor that served as a toilet. "Is this a joke?!" Angela yelled.

"You better get used to it." the lizard-like creature pushing her into the cell said. "It'll be the best you'll get for the rest of your life. At least we won't hit you."

"Yet..." he added with an evil chuckle as he locked the cell and left. Angela sat down on her bed, her tail twitching a little, and waited. " _I have no hope._ " she thought. " _The only chance I've got would be letting Ratchet know somehow... but how?_ "

* * *

Angela shivered as she forced another spoon full of some cold substance down her throat. The food was nearly inedible, but it was the only food she'd get for the day. " _This is what I'll have to get used to?_ " she thought.

And then it hit her. " _Do I want to get used to this?_ "

The answer was simple. " _I'd rather die!_ " Angela thought, frowning. Immediately she began to look around. There wasn't much she could do in this concrete room. They had to let her out sometime... right?

Angela ate her food, then waited. She waited all day... but nothing happened. She was left there to rot in that cell all day.

* * *

"Come on... come on..." Ratchet muttered as his eyes were fixated on the screen linked to the scanner. They were currently scanning Macbeth for any sign of Angela, but so far, nothing.

But then Simon came running in. "I've got something."

"What?! Where is she?!"

"No, not on Angela I'm afraid, I think I know what made Fortuna vanish. I've pushed the sensors to the limit, and moments before Fortuna vanished, the planet emitted Hawking radiation."

"Come again?"

"It's a long story what Hawking radiation is. However, the source is always a black hole. That's no coincidence, it's a signature!"

Ratchet frowned. "So that guy, what, turns planets into black holes?"

"No. seconds from it's disappearance, when the surface began to split and crack and everything, a black hole was forming in Fortuna's core."

"But how?"

"That's the issue. Black Hole has absolutely no scientific knowledge, and that certainly isn't something Hypernova could, suddenly spawning a black hole, unless... unless he suddenly teleported an insane amount of mass into Fortuna's core, and by insane, I mean a mass that rivals that of stars, or he somehow compressed Fortuna's core so intensely that it crossed the event horizon."

"You do know I don't understand all that scientific stuff, right?"

"Right."

"Well, genius, you also got an idea for finding Angela?"

"Not yet-"

"Then get lost!" Ratchet yelled.

"Whoa, what's your problem?"

"What's my problem?! You made me believe that you were dead not once, but _twice_! You selfish bastard!"

"Everything I did was for the best of either you or the universe itself, Ratchet. Can you blame me for that?"

"Get out of my sight!" Ratchet roared. "Go play dead another time, see if I care. I hate you!"

Simon nodded. "Alright then. Oh, and for the record, I just got an idea as to how we can find Angela."

Ratchet turned around instantly. "How?!"

Simon was already gone.

Ratchet cursed. "Dammit!"

Ratchet began to frantically search for Simon, only to see him flying off in his Star Explorer when Ratchet entered the hangar. "Damn it!" Ratchet cursed. "What now?!"

* * *

Simon frowned as he flew through space to his destination. " _Ratchet's little outburst there... why doesn't he understand_ _ **why**_ _? Or... does he have a point? Did I cause him that much grief?_ "

Simon shook his head. " _Typical. I do what's right, and I end up making stuff worse._ "

Simon had to interrupt his train of thought though as his destination came into view. He landed his Star Explorer in the hangar. "Ah, my good old lab." he muttered as he got out. He walked through the facility, heading straight for his lab. When he arrived there, he grabbed his toolbox and took out a screwdriver. He put it down on his workbench, then went to get some steel. When he got back though, the screwdriver was gone. " _What the heck?_ "

He found the screwdriver hidden underneath a table behind him. " _How did that get here?_ "

He shook his head, and got to work. He grabbed his welder and used it to bend the steel before switching to his screwdriver to tighten a few bolts, putting some microchips in place. However, as he reached for the last microchip, he felt that the chip had an odd shape. As he looked over to his hand, he saw that he was holding a small, red rubber ball. " _Wha?! Am I getting crazy, or..._ "

But then it hit him. Hiding the screwdriver. The red ball. That could only mean one thing.

He narrowed his eyes and looked around, carefully taking in his surroundings. "I know you're somewhere here, where are you? Hide and seek, huh?"

It stayed quiet. Simon shrugged, and got back to work, and strangely enough, this time none of his tools moved but stayed exactly where he'd put them. It worried him.

When he had finished building the gadget he had been making, he began to search. He searched through the entire facility, yelling "Where are you?" and "Hey?" every few minutes. At last, he gave up. Shaking his head, he grabbed the gadget, got into his Star Explorer, and left. But as he flew off, he failed to notice that the passenger seat had moved a little.

* * *

Ratchet sighed, and slammed his head against the metal wall of the ship's kitchen yet again. Why did he yell to Simon? He had no reason to take out his anger on Simon. Yes, he was very concerned and angry regarding Angela's disappearance, but that did not justify taking it out on Simon.

Ratchet noticed a warm feeling in his nose. " _Dammit, I think I broke my nose._ " he thought as he walked over to the sink and splashed some water in his face.

He heard a door open behind him. Ratchet turned around.

Simon came in. "Hi." he said as he passed Ratchet and took a mug from one of the cupboards. He walked over to the coffee machine. Ratchet frowned. "Hey, about what happened..."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just really worried about Angela, I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"No, it's okay, you've got a point. I did cause you quite a lot of grief, huh?"

"Yeah..."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You did what you believed was right."

"Yes, but still..." Simon muttered as he did some sugar in his coffee. He drank some of the hot liquid, only to spit it back out immediately. "The heck?!"

"What?"

"But I was certain..." Simon muttered as he looked at what he was holding in his left hand. "Yeah, this is sugar, so why does my coffee taste salt?"

Simon tasted some of the colorless grains. "Salt, though there should be sugar in this thing."

"Huh." Ratchet said.

Simon turned to Ratchet. "I don't suppose you've got anything to do with this?"

"Nope, wasn't me, I don't pull pranks like that. That's not fun. It wasn't Fox either, he's been working out in the onboard gym ever since... well... 'Fortuna'. I suppose that's his way of dealing with lots of stress."

Simon frowned. "Then why..."

Then it hit him. "He's here..."

"Wait, who?"

Simon shook his head. "Nothing, nevermind. I probably put salt in this thing instead of sugar by accident."

"Doesn't sound like you."

"I know, but everybody makes mistakes, it wouldn't surprise me if this was a little mistake of mine."

"Well, whatever. Anyhow, you said you had an idea on how we're gonna find Angela?"

"Yes. I made this USB drive." he said, showing Ratchet the small device he'd made.

"Okay... so?"

"This thing is a small, standalone scanner that'll lead you straight to Angela, though it only works once. I'm going to look for her in an hour."

"Alright." Ratchet said. "But where are you going to leave that thing until then?"

"I'll keep it with me, of course." Simon said. He carefully laid the scanner down on the kitchen's coffee table, before turning around and heading over to the coffee maker for a new cup. Ratchet didn't think twice and snatched the scanner before getting out of there. Simon turned around, and noticed that the scanner was gone immediately. "Son of a Qwark!"

He left his coffee in the kitchen, if he didn't hurry Ratchet would be gone, off to who knows where. Then they wouldn't have one, but two missing Lombaxes, not to mention that Angela could be in big danger, and Ratchet was running in unprepared.

* * *

Ratchet ran into his room, grabbed his coat, and ran over to Aphelion. He tried to start the ship, but to no avail. He then ran over to Simon's Star Explorer. He knocked on the window. "Skybound!" Ratchet frantically yelled.

"User identified, password confirmed." a female voice spoke as the ship opened up. Ratchet dumped his coat on the back seats, for the passenger seat had been moved forward. When he got into the ship, he noticed Simon running towards him at full speed. Ratchet quickly closed the cockpit and flew off before Simon could reach him. The moment he had left the Great Fox' hangar, he grabbed the scanner and plugged it into the ship. Immediately a holographical arrow showed up. Ratchet turned the ship to where the arrow was pointing, and flew off.

Simon cursed as he saw Ratchet fly off. "Dang it!"

He turned around immediately, and sprinted to the bridge. "ROB!"

"Yes, what do-you need?" ROB blared in his usual, monotone voice.

"Follow that ship!" Simon yelled as he pointed at the ship flying off in the distance. "That ship has a head start, catching up may take time." ROB said.

"Doesn't matter, follow it!"

"Okay."

A few hours later, a planet came into view. Simon stared at the planet Ratchet had flown off to. "Oh, no..."

* * *

 **Wooo, where could Ratchet be? I've given a few hints, I'm excited to see if anyone knows where Angela is. It's honestly not that hard to figure out, only a few planets in Lylat match the description of where Angela is right now.  
**

 **Also, what's going on with Simon? Is he losing his mind? You will all find out soon enough...**

 **Oh, and a heads up: get yourself a place in the feels hospital for the next two chapters... stuff's about to get emotional.**


	7. For Angela!

**I haven't got much time, lots of stuff still left to do, so I'll keep this quick and get to the reviews immediately.**

 **Max Chronicle:**

 **Chapter 5: " _Just saw that not one but TWO CHAPTER HAVE BEEN POSTED! Dude, I'm sorry. Anyway, I'm reading the story (It's going great, crazy things are happening, Angela is captured, giant crash noise, swearing, stuff like that) then all of a sudden, "I... AM... BLACK HOLE!" (Jaw drops in utter surprise and quite frankly...shock. I am so hating you right now.)_**

 ** _Then, all of sudden, (At more than 150 light-years a second, comes a hero, whose very continual existence proves he's a badazz, TOTAL BADAZZ; SIMON!) On a related note, knowing that Hypernova was a robot for the whole of Epilogue kinda ruins the story for me...gotta be honest._**

 ** _Beside that though, fantastic chapter. And thank for the OC submission. If you're still taking them, I'll think of one an send it your way._**  
 ** _Max out._**  
 ** _P.S. The Phoenixes are Simon and Derrick, I'd assume. Chapter 6 here I come_**. **"  
Sorry for the surprise... spiz worthy I guess? And of course I'm still taking OC's! The more the merrier! If you want to submit an OC, go right ahead! And you are totally correct, the Phoenixes are indeed Simon and Derrick.  
**

 **Chapter 6: "** ** _Finally caught up. (Wipes imaginary sweat off brow, "Whoof.")  
"Questions, questions, you ask all these questions, ask yourself this: How relevant is asking when we'll all find out?"  
Heh, heh, sorry. Figure I'd pull a funny. As for where Ratchet would be going, my educated (hopefully) guess is Fichina.  
(Goes up to check a noise, finds out that its nothing, comes back to find keyboard is gone. "What the...". Gets a new keyboard and finishes the review.  
Max out.  
P.S. As for the story in 'Spiz' so far, I'd say you've reached a level of shiz that has ascended passed a shiz, or you could just call this a Shiz 2...Maybe one day you'll go further beyond._"  
Rebuilding Alister's quote there did indeed give me a good laugh, so thanks! As for your guess being planet Fichina, you're about to find out! As for your keyboard missing, tell me, around the time it disappeared, did you see any objects that appeared to have no shadow? And I find it a nice challenge to go as far beyond shiz as I can. Rebuilding a quote myself here: "To Spiz-level, and beyond!"**

 **Zeta Warrior 16: "** ** _Amazing story  
I found the first one earlier and loved it so far love this one 99% as much.  
I also have an OC if you want him._"  
Thank you! And if you wish to submit an OC, go right ahead, the more OC's the merrier! Also, I hope this chapter will live up to your expectations.**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I can't wait to read the next one. Hopefully we'll see more of Simon's "friend." Keep up the great work. :)_ "  
Oh you'll see more of that 'friend' alright, assuming that it is a friend, something that makes stuff go missing doesn't have to be friendly per defenition... Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _I swear, this story gets more and more suspenseful and amazing with every chapter! I hope Angela will be okay, and Ratchet, too. I have no clue if Simon is going a bit crazy or what, but this was definitely one heck of a chapter!  
P. S. I love the idea you have for my OC! As for the ship, I was thinking in terms of a gold and turquoise Star Explorer with wings that look like the ones on Azimuth's ship and the front being shaped similar to an inclined plane. The ship is fitted with Zoni Proton Cutters and multi-tracking torpedoes and a medium-range ship tether. The ship also has Zoni overthrusters for quick travel between planets.  
P. S. S. Glad Zenit is making a second appearance in the trilogy!_"  
Thank you! As for Angela's and Ratchet's fates, there's more about that in this chapter, speaking of which, I hope you'll enjoy it.  
P.S. Nice ship design! I'll definitely include that one along with your OC!  
P.S.S. And I'm glad this story is good enough that people still read it, honestly, that's the biggest compliment I've had in... uh... I don't even know!**

 **Heather: " _I hope Angela and Ratchet are going to be alright. Salt in coffee? Eww! That probably tasted bad. I have no idea what Simon meant by, "He's here," but it definitely can't be good._**  
 ** _P. S. Yeah, I'm referring to savior of worlds' review. I didn't know what he meant by it, so I was interested._**  
 ** _Here's my OC:_**

 ** _Name: Hanna Eris; Age: 17; Species: Cazar; Gender: Female; Appearance: silver fur with gold stripes, auburn hair in a French braid, grey blue eyes, Ectoflux armour, scar on left eye; Weapons: Omniwrench 500K, Dual Omniblasters, Alpha Cannon, Constructo Shotgun; Gadgets: hoverboots, swingshot, gravity-boots, Kinetic Tether in wrench; Personality: kind, selfless, courageous; Abilities: agility, intelligence, combat specialist; Weaknesses: tends to charge right into battle sometimes, anger management issues, acts like everything is a strategic military operation, often tells annoying, and sometimes stupid stories; History: She was raised on Kerwan until she was around 8 when Nefarious attacked Metropolis, she being one of the few who did not get turned into a robot. She was rescued by a non-specific smuggler and then had travelled with him until a few months before Tools of Destruction occurred, in which she went on her own to find the location of her parents, who vanished a month after the attack. It is rumored about having to do with the Zoni. She eventually joined the Cassiopeian Defense Force and now is in search of a Fulcrum Star, which may lead her to her parents. (I made up the Cassiopeian Galaxy, just so you know.)"  
Nice OC, she'll definitely make an appearance in the story. As for why she's in Lylat, perhaps there have been rumours of a Fulcrum Star located somewhere in the Lylat system? Anyhow, enjoy!_**

 **zenith88: " _Awesome as usual. I just can't wati to find out what happens._**

 _ **Ah, and i forgot to mention that my oc jzst cannot remember his past. A little bit like Hancock**_. **"  
Hancock, I've seen that movie! If there's one badass (and cocky) superhero it'd be him. And not being able to remember his past, that'll certainly lead to some interesting moments.**

 **saviour of worlds: " _I believe Black hole is behind Simon's behavior. I think he's messing around with stuff somehow..._**  
 ** _Anyway, another great chapter. Now, make it turn Wednesday! I want to read further! XD_**  
 ** _About my OC, he needs a weakness otherwise he is OP... So I was thinking, What if he dislikes lasers, the cutting ones. You know, Like these parts in games where you need to squeeze trough a couple of lasers. I think you know how frightening these parts could be._**

 ** _P.S. One thing about Bob, I think that the MAKERS came up with a random name, not me._**  
 ** _(still haven't caught him)"  
_ Heh, well guess what today is? And your OC disliking laser-defence systems sounds pretty good, and it might lead to some pretty hilarious moments too (*cough cough laser pointer cough cough*). As for Bob, I alread figured. There was a typo in your message that led me to the conclusion that the character leaving those unsettling notes behind in that game you were talking about, Viscera Cleanup Detail it was called I believe, was unnamed and that you gave him the name 'Bob' yourself, but after a quick web-search to find out more about the game, I already found that that character is actually referred to as 'Bob' in game. Funny how just a tiny typo can lead to such confusion. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Alright, everyone! Enjoy! Also, in this chapter the first submitted OC will be introduced, as for who it is, read to find out!**

* * *

After fifteen minutes of flying, a planet came into view. The mere sight of it made Ratchet shiver. "Damn it."

He entered the planet's atmosphere. "Warning!" the female voice spoke. "Dangerous environment detected! Be cautious for low temperatures."

Ratchet carefully navigated through the frozen cliffs that dominated the surface, before finally finding what he had been looking for.

He noticed a large, concrete compound in the distance, and the arrow was pointing right at it. Ratchet engaged the autopilot and grabbed his coat. After putting it on, he attached his wrench to his back and prepared to steer the ship to a place where he could land. However...

"Warning! Incoming missile!"

"Oh, crap!" Ratchet yelled as he frantically steered the ship to the right, but the rocket was lock- on. Ratchet quickly got out, performing a halo-jump. He frowned as he watched Simon's Star Explorer explode. "So many good memories..." Ratchet muttered. He frowned and grabbed his wrench. They were going to pay.

He slowed himself down using his hoverboots, and landed roughly three miles away from the building. He activated his hoverboots and sped off to the compound, using the uneven terrain to his advantage by using it to prevent getting detected. In half an hour, he had reached the compound.

He ran over to a back door, but hid behind a few barrels when he heard talking. He peeked out of cover. Two guards were standing in front of the back door playing cards. Ratchet shivered, he didn't like the sub-zero temperature at all. Neither did the guards, apparently, for one of them cursed loudly. "Why is it always me that has to do stuff like this?" The one on the right, who resembled a bulldog with white fur and small black eyes, barked.

"Tell me about it." the other guard, a lizard, hissed. "They better pay us more for this torture."

"Nope." the bulldog replied. "This _is_ Kursed we're talking about."

" _Kursed?_ " Ratchet thought. " _Hmm..._ "

Ratchet grabbed some snow and crushed it into a snowball before throwing it at the wall next to the guards. They jumped. "What the frick was that?!" the bulldog yelped.

While they were distracted, Ratchet quickly rolled behind a few crates.

"I don't know, but I think it came from over there." the lizard hissed as he pointed at the barrels Ratchet had been sitting behind. However, as they walked over to the barrels with their guns ready, they had no eyes on the door, and thus Ratchet could quickly sneak in unnoticed.

Ratchet noticed that it wasn't much warmer inside. It was still rather cold, but at least habitable. Ratchet sneaked through the facility, but so far, all he found were more hallways, not ever a cell, or a room for that matter. Suddenly, he was pulled back. Ratchet would've yelped in surprise if it wasn't for the hand that covered his mouth immediately. He was pressed against the wall. "What are you doing here?!" A female voice hissed. "I'm getting my friend out of here, and you can't stop me!"

Immediately he was released. "Good. 'Cause I've been trying to get everyone out of here as well." the female voice said. Ratchet turned around.

She had orange skin and golden eyes and long brown hair. She was wearing trillium armour with a golden tint to it, an eyepatch over her left eye, and she seemed to have fangs.

"What are you?" is all Ratchet could say.

"Later. We need to talk." the person said before grabbing Ratchet's jacket and pulling him towards an air vent. She removed the vent's cover and pushed him in, before climbing in herself, closing the vents behind her. "Now," she said, turning to Ratchet, "Do you have any idea where you are?"

"An iceplanet?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're on planet Fichina, an icy wasteland far from Lylat. This place is where Kursed keeps her 'catches', people that she caught and intends to sell as slaves. I've been trying to free everyone trapped here the moment I found out about this place. After careful planning, I've come up with a plan, but then you come walking in all of a sudden. What is your business here?"

"A good friend of mine, Angela, is likely imprisoned somewhere in this facility. I'm here to free her."

"Alright then."

"I'm Ratchet, and you?"

"Call me Tiger. Tiger's Eye. Oh, and if you're looking for the cells, I've been observing this place for weeks, and I think I know where they are. But judging by the state this place is in, try to stay calm when we find your friend, 'cause the conditions she's in will likely be horrible."

Ratchet frowned. "Which is exactly why we should find her as soon as possible."

"Correct. Follow me." Tiger said, climbing out of the vent. Once she was out, she offered her hand to Ratchet, and pulled him out. "There. I don't think anyone has heard us, heck, I don't think anyone knows we're here at all."

"The less they know, the better."

"Yeah, but the disappearance of dozens of potential slaves? They're gonna notice that. We need to get out ASAP when that happens."

"So we need to make sure the guards can't follow."

"Gotcha. If we can lock the door to their quarters, or block it, they'll be stuck."

"Well, that's poorly designed."

"Tell me about it, but this whole place is the definition of poor, poor designed, poor maintained, the list goes on. Anyhow, we should keep moving."

"Alright. Let's do this!"

Together the two sneaked through the deserted hallways, until they reached an orange door, with a plate that read 'Guard Quarters'.

"Alright, we're here, but how are we gonna lock them up?" Ratchet asked.

"I don't know. If we could snatch the keys from one of the guards..."

"Leave it to me." Ratchet said, running off. "Wait!" Tiger hissed, but he was already gone. She facepalmed. "Why are Lombaxes always so impulsive?" she thought out loud as she ran after him.

After a short amount of time, Ratchet had returned to where he had entered the facility. He carefully opened the door. The two guards he had fooled earlier were still there, bickering about their employer and money. Ratchet frowned, he could not steal their keys without them noticing. Grabbing his wrench, he went for a different tactic. He walked out the door.

When Tiger arrived at the door a minute later, there were a few dents in the door. She carefully opened it. The two guards were lying on the ground, unconscious, and Ratchet was taking their keys. He threw them to Tiger. "Catch."

She caught them. "Go trap the guards, I'll catch up later."

"Got it." she said, running back into the building. Ratchet turned back to the unconscious guards. He took all of their weapons and hid them in the snow, although he took one of their battle rifles with him for protection.

Meeting up with Tiger, he found her standing outside the guard quarters with a smug grin. Ratchet noticed that the door had been locked, but the keys were still in the lock, and the lock appeared... molten?

It was as if someone had used a welder on the keys, for they were stuck in the lock. "They aren't coming out anytime soon." Tiger whispered. "Now we need to get rid of the guards that are already on patrol."

Ratchet grinned. "We'll kill two blargs with one shot."

"Come again?"

"I mean that we'll solve two problems with one answer."

* * *

"Hey eggheads!" Ratchet yelled, knocking on the door to the guards' quarters. He heard a surprised yelp inside, and several footsteps coming towards the door. And sure enough, one of the guards attempted to open the door, and of course he couldn't open it. "Erwin, call for backup." a male voice came from within the room. "Tell them this darn door got stuck again."

"Now!" Tiger hissed, and they made a run for it. Ratchet followed Tiger straight into the cell block, which was... deserted?

The prisoners were still there, but the guards were gone. "You've got the keys, right?"

"Yeah."

"Go free the prisoners, I'll search for Angela."

"Got it."

Ratchet began to search. He walked along various rows of cells, but to his surprise and fear, none of them contained Angela. The now hopeless Lombax was about to give up, when all of a sudden he heard a voice in the distance. "Help!"

He would recognize that voice anywhere. "Angela!" he yelled, and stormed into the hallway where the sound had come from. "Hey, wait up!" Tiger yelled. She handed the keys to one of the prisoners. "Go free the others, and stay here. I'll be right back." she said before running off after Ratchet.

* * *

Ratchet ran through hallway after hallway before finally coming into a large circular room. There was a small glass cylinder in the middle, and inside was...

"Angela!"

Angela turned around immediately. "Ratchet! Don't come closer, it's a trap!"

"Too late." a familiar voice said. A hatch began to open underneath Angela's feet, and Ratchet could see lava below. Angela hugged the wall of the cylinder. "Help!"

"Kursed, stop this!" Ratchet yelled.

"No, I don't think I will. That is, unless..."

"Unless what?!"

"Unless you're willing to take her place."

Angela's eyes widened. "No! Ratchet, don't-"

"Deal." Ratchet said immediately.

"Deal's a deal."

The hatch closed immediately, and while the glass cylinder around Angela was lifted up, a glass dome came down around Ratchet. Kursed came walking in, an evil grin on her face. She began to circle the barrier trapping Ratchet. "My, my, what a fine specimen! And so strong too... you'll bring up an even higher price than that fool over there."

Angela growled, and charged at Kursed, only to slam face-first into an invisible barrier. Angela stumbled backwards, blood dripping out of her nose. "You _monster!_ " Angela growled.

"I'm not a monster, I am _the_ monster." Kursed said with an evil, smug grin. "Now you should get out of here before I change my mind on sparing your life. Good luck out there, I think you'll find this planet quite _warming_."

Ratchet growled. "I _will_ kill you."

"Wrong once again, but I'd _love_ to see you try, _weakling_."

At that moment, a golden laserbeam came out of nowhere that drilled a hole in the dome trapping Ratchet.

"What the?!" Kursed said. Everyone turned to where the laser came from.

There stood Tiger, her left hand over her eyepatch, her right hand a fist. "Run!" she yelled at Ratchet. "Get your friend out of here!"

Kursed attempted to grab Ratchet, but she immediately received a kick in the gut. "I told you you were underestimating me!" Ratchet said. He turned to Angela. "Get out of here, run! I'll find you!"

Angela nodded, and ran out of the room through a hallway on her side of the forcefield. Ratchet ran out of the room on a hallway on his side.

Kursed attempted to run after Ratchet, but was stopped by a punch to the face, courtesy of Tiger. "Not so fast!"

Kursed got up and readied her fists. "You wanna die? Get some then!"

Kursed shot forward. Tiger dove forward, dodging Kursed with ease. Tiger landed on her hands and gave Kursed a forceful kick in the back, sending Kursed flying forward.

"Good job." Tiger taunted.

Kursed growled and got up, Kursed attempted to punch Tiger in the face, but Tiger blocked the attack and countered. However, when her fist as about to hit Kursed's face, Kursed leaned backwards as if she could read Tiger's mind. Kursed countered by punching Tiger on the side of her head, knocking her out instantly. "I'll take care of you later." Kursed hissed before running after Ratchet.

* * *

Ratchet ran through the hallway. He turned right and took a hallway that branched off towards where Angela had ran off to. Ratchet found himself in the hangar. He didn't see Angela though.

But then, he heard a noise and a yelp. He ran over to where the sound came from. Angela was lying on the ground with an unamused face. "Some idiot left a screw lying around."

"Are you okay?" Ratchet asked, helping her get up.

"Yeah. Let's get out of here."

But then Ratchet noticed a blue dot behind Angela, it came running towards them through the hallway.

"Crap!" Ratchet yelled. He turned around, but the hallway he intended to use as an escape route was getting flooded with guards. They were pinned down.

Or were they? Ratchet noticed something next to them. "A hoverbike?"

"Ratchet, now is not the time!" Angela said.

Ratchet grabbed the battle rifle he had taken from the guard earlier and gave it to Angela. He hopped onto the hoverbike and turned it on. The engine roared to life. Ratchet quickly took off his jacket and handed it to Angela. "Put this on, quick!"

Angela did as she was told, and climbed onto the back of the hoverbike. She held onto Ratchet.

Ratchet turned around. They were too late.

The guards were mere feet away from them. But then, all of a sudden, a figure landed in between them.

Tiger.

"Stop!" She yelled, and the sheer power of her voice made the guards obey, although the guards did not know why. Tiger glanced over her shoulder. "Go, I'll keep them busy!"

"But that's suicide!"

"I'll be fine, get out of here, now!"

Ratchet nodded, and sped out of the hangar. Tiger turned to the guards, who were beginning to move. Tiger spread her arms. "Thou... shall not... pursue them! Hah, you thought I was gonna say 'pass', eh?"

The guards gave her a confused expression. "What do you mean?" one of them said.

"It's a famous quote from-ah nevermind, you're not gonna get past me!"

The guards raised their weapons as one. Tiger laughed. "You think I'm impressed? Wait until you _see_ this!" she said, taking off her eyepatch. The guards froze immediately, before running off for dear life. "Yeah, that's right!" Tiger yelled after them.

But when she heard an engine start behind her, she had realized that she had forgotten someone.

Kursed.

She made a run for it, but Kursed had already started up a hoverbike and was charging after Ratchet and Angela, out into the frozen wastelands of Fichina. Tiger frowned. "Darn it."

She shook her head. "I better get all prisoners out of here then."

* * *

Ratchet laughed. "Wohoo! Darn cold, but still, we're nailing this pretty hard!"

Angela frowned. "Not so fast, we've got company." She shivered. "And this clothing is as if it was designed to make the wearer feel the cold. I'm freezing!"

Ratchet frowned. "Just hang on. And company, you say?"

Ratchet noticed Kursed catching up to them out of the corner of his eye. "Angela, you've got a gun, shoot her bike until it's broken!"

Angela began to fire the battle rifle, but for some weird reason, Kursed dodged all of the bullets. "Aww, missed me!" Kursed mocked. Angela fired again, and yet again Kursed dodged all of the shots. "Dammit!" Angela cursed. "Aww, how cute!" Kursed mocked.

"Either that woman has one crap load of luck, or she's cheating somehow." Ratchet mumbled, barely audible over the sound of the engines.

Kursed suddenly slowed until she was behind Ratchet's bike, before pressing a button on her hoverbike. The barrel of a gun shot out of Kursed's bike. "Angela, shoot!" Ratchet said.

Angela tried again. Again, Kursed dodged all of the shots. Angela frowned. "It is as if she can read my mind... what if I..."

Angela focused on Kursed. She cleared her mind and fired again. Kursed was having slightly more trouble with dodging this time. Then Angela had an idea. Remembering how Kursed seemed to hate Fox, the thought of the vulpine. More specifically, she forced an image of Kursed and Fox kissing into her mind, then began to fire.

A look of pure disgust formed on Kursed's face, and this time, some bullets did hit. Kursed's bike began to fail. Kursed immediately opened fire in a desperate attempt to destroy Ratchet's bike.

Ratchet's bike got away relatively undamaged, although Kursed managed to damage the pipe leading the fuel to the engine. Fuel began to leak out of Ratchet's bike, making the Lombax curse.

But then Kursed's bike suddenly stopped, and the bounty hunter got launched into a pile of snow. She crawled out and yelled after the Lombaxes: "Forget my original plan, when I get my hands on you two, I'm gonna rip your skin off and decorate my wall with them!"

"Come and get me!" Ratchet yelled over his shoulder. He sped away from Kursed. "Ratchet?" Angela asked.

"Yeah?"

"What are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"How are we going to get off this planet? Where did you leave your ship?"

Then Ratchet remembered. It got blown up. However, he also recalled seeing a building in the distance when entering Fichina's atmosphere, if they could reach it, they might be able to call for help.

Ratchet sped off in the direction of where he had seen the building, but after a few miles, the bike began to beep, running out of fuel.

It ran out of fuel entirely while they were driving through a frozen canyon. The bike suddenly stopped, and they got launched, landing in a pile of snow. Ratchet got out pretty quickly, and helped Angela get out. "Are you okay?"

Angela was shivering, and she looked a bit pale. "Too cold."

Ratchet shivered himself. Now that she mentioned the cold, Ratchet realized he had been slowly freezing as well, but he had pushed it into the back of his mind with the task of protecting Angela at hand. Ratchet looked around, and he spotted an icy cave in the distance. "Come." he said, and began to guide Angela to it.

"R-R-Ratchet?" Angela said as they were about halfway there.

"Yeah?"

"There's a s-snowstorm coming."

Ratchet glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, there was indeed a snowstorm coming their way, and by the looks of things, fast. Ratchet picked Angela up, holding her bridal-style, and ran to the cave. They arrived there just in time.

The wind was howling, and the temperature was far below zero as Ratchet and Angela sat down.

Ratchet sat down behind Angela and wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into him, cuddling for warmth. "We're not going to survive this, are we?" Angela whispered, shivering.

Ratchet calmly shook his head.

* * *

 **Aye, stuff is _not_ going well there, huh? Well, I think y'all can see this one coming: MAJOR romance chapter coming up. But will the Lombaxes survive? For that answer, you will all have to wait for Saturday, I'm afraid.  
**

 **Furthermore, meet Tiger, an OC of my good friend TigersEyeTheGemCat! Give Tiger a warm welcome! She'll likely need it after all that ice... anyhow, see you all on Saturday, on which we will see if the Lombaxes survive the sub-zero surface temperatures of Fichina...**

 **Also, if you can't handle emotional overloads, get a spot in the feels hospital, you'll be needing it, trust me...**


	8. At Last We Meet

**I have returned to post yet another chapter! However, let me warn everyone again, feels! I hope everyone got a spot in the feels hospital, 'cause this is going to be a highly emotional chapter.**

 **Also, for those of you who own a copy of the game Kerbal Space Program, I'm working on a mod that turns the stock solar system into the Star Fox solar system, the Lylat system, using no heightmaps, everything has been generated from so-called 'PQSMods' only.  
**

 **About KSP, I have just won the 'creativity marathon', a fanmade contest of who can make the best planet. My entry was a planet named Cerillion, a sandy planet with icy highlands and blue oceans, although I wouldn't recommend breathing in the Cerillion air. If you'd like to know what it looked like, shoot me a PM and I'll send you a link.**

 **One last thing before I get to the reviews: since I'm through my supply of already-written chapters, I may not be able to post a new chapter next Wednesday, so I guess you'll all have to wait and see.**

 **Reviews:**

 **zenith88: "** ** _Freaking awesome chapter. Nit much to say but well done._ "  
Thank you! I hope you'll love this chapter just as much.**

 **1: "** ** _Don't worry, the Great Fox is on its way._ "  
Yes, but the problem is, will they find the two Lombaxes on time, or will the two Lombaxes freeze to death on the sub-zero planet?**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter. I'm so happy that Ratchet finally found Angela. I hope they survive. I can't wait to find out in the next chapter.:)_ "  
Thank you! As for their survival, we will see...  
**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Ah man, the feels hospital. Hang on, (Grabs phone, "Thanks to you guys and you feels moments, I have these guys on speed dial." Puts phone up to ear, "Um, yes, it is I. I'd like to reserve a spot for today and tomorrow...what do you mean its full. HOW CAN ONE FEELS HOSPITAL BE FULL?!" *Warning: Due to language, the rest of the conversation has been deleted*  
"Ugh, I know that I've read this chapter late, but still, the entire Fanfic Hospital...full? Well, there's no time like the present they say."  
See you on chapter 8.  
Max out.  
P.S. Thou... shall not... pursue them! Classic._"  
You got no spot in the feels hospital? Oh, no... Well, in that case, I wish you the best of luck, stuff is about to get emotional.**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _That was one awesome chapter and the new OC is awesome too! Tiger's Eye is amazing, that's for sure!_ "  
Thank you! And I'll let the owner of Tiger's Eye know! Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Heather: "** ** _This was a good chapter and I really like Tiger a lot! And I definitely see a romance chapter coming up! I also like your idea for my OC! I think I'll be in the feels hospital, that's for sure..._ "  
Thank you! And I'll let the owner of Tiger's Eye know! Also, there's definitely an emotional chapter coming up. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Alright, once again, stuff is about to get very emotional.**

* * *

Angela was shivering with cold as Ratchet held her tightly. "It is so, so very cold." she muttered.

"I know." he whispered back. "Just try to ignore it. We'll make it."

"No, we won't, and you know that just as well as I do. We're going to die, here, alone, and too early."

Ratchet gently squeezed her. "Don't say that!"

"It's true."

She shivered. "I don't want to die, Ratchet."

"Me neither." he whispered. "But I must say, I've had one heck of a life."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if I'm really honest... I'm happy with the way things turned out. I've made many friends, I've saved many people, I've even become someone people look up to. I never could've imagined myself in such a position."

Angela nodded, and let her head rest against Ratchet's chest. "I've had quite the life too."

They sat there in silence as the storm raged on. Angela began to shiver more intensely. "I'm dying, Ratchet."

Ratchet smiled, tears in his eyes. "I know. And you're taking a part of me with you."

"Ratchet, do you hate me?"

"No. Never have, never will."

"Good." Angela said, closing her eyes. "Then I can die in peace."

"Angela, don't you dare close your eyes. Open them, now!"

Angela tiredly opened her eyes. "Why?"

"Because... because I cannot die in peace. I..."

Ratchet suddenly wrapped his arms around her more tightly. "I am sorry for everything. I am not mad at you, Angela. I don't care if you blame me for all that has happened. I only care about you being my friend."

Angela smiled. "You've been a wonderful friend to me, Ratchet. I'll see you in heaven."

"Angela?"

"Yes?"

"There is one last thing..." Ratchet said. Could he say it? Did he have the courage?

Ratchet sighed. It was literally now or never. "Angela, I-"

"I love you." she whispered. "Always have, always will."

"What?"

Angela looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. "I love you, Ratchet. And I don't care what you think about me now, because it's true. I. Love. You. That's the truth, and the truth only, and I cannot take this secret with me into the grave. You deserve to know... that I care about you."

Angela chuckled. "It's pathetic really, all those hours I've spent dreaming that you would love me back. I'm a fool, I'm telling you right now. Of course you'd never-"

Angela was stopped when Ratchet suddenly kissed her. "I love you too, Angela. I always have, and I always will."

Angela froze, not literally of course, and she stared up at him. Did he just do that?

"No, you're not seeing things." Ratchet said with a chuckle, noticing her stare. "Angela Cross, I love you."

Angela smiled. "I love you too."

Ratchet leaned forward, and they met once again. Although Ratchet had given her a quick kiss seconds earlier, this kiss was far, far different.

This was no quick kiss to show his affection. This was a kiss of true love.

Two souls sang in indescribable joy, two hearts raced, beating in sync. This was no ordinary kiss, this was the sealing of a pact of love that would last for eternity, that not even time nor death themselves could ever erase.

They stayed like that, lost in bliss, for quite a long time, before they broke the kiss at last. Ratchet wiped a few hairs out of his love's face. "You are more beautiful than I believed possible."

Angela smiled, and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh, how much I've dreamed of hearing such a thing from you... I cannot believe those dreams, daydreams of a foolish, lonely girl, would ever come true."

"They did come true. You. You _are_ a dream come true, Angela."

Angela smiled. "I will love you for eternity, Ratchet. And I will wait for you. In heaven."

She shivered. Ratchet lay down, and Angela lay on top of him, her head resting on his chest. Ratchet took his jacket and covered them with it, like a blanket. This is where they would sleep forever, in a quiet cave far, far away. But together.

Ratchet closed his eyes, and let death take him. This was all he could have wished for: to die in peace, holding the one he loved most. He could feel Angela's heartbeat slowing, and he could hear her breath slowing. Ratchet kissed her on top of her head. "We'll meet again. Soon." he whispered.

Angela's tail twitched one last time, and then her ears went limp. Ratchet opened his eyes, and kissed Angela one last time. He could feel one last heartbeat in response to his kiss. He stared at her beautiful face, at those two blue eyes that would never open again, and then his heart shut down as well. The last thing he saw was Angela's face, a faint smile present on her lips, as if she was dreaming peacefully, before everything went black.

* * *

Pure whiteness. Light was coming from everywhere. Ratchet looked down. He was dressed in beautiful white clothing, no shoes, no gloves.

"Ratchet!"

He looked up. There she was.

Angela came walking towards him. She was wearing a white dress, and her hair freely flowed down her back. She was smiling, her two blue eyes full of both love and life. She looked so radiant, Ratchet couldn't help but smile. Ratchet walked to her, and the second they met, they wrapped their arms around each other. "I've missed you." Angela whispered.

"I've missed you too."

"Ratchet?"

"Yeah?"

"Open your eyes. Look at me."

"Huh?"

Angela suddenly kissed him, long and passionate, like the way they had kissed earlier.

"Please... open your eyes... come back to me."

"What do you mean, Angela?"

"Wake up..."

Ratchet opened his eyes, which was strange, considering his eyes were already open. Angela vanished. The bright light stayed though. Suddenly, there was a golden blob in his vision. His vision sharpened, until the bright light became metal panels, and the golden blob became Angela's smiling face. She wrapped her arms around him. "Welcome back, Ratchet."

"Wuh?" He managed to mutter.

Angela kissed him on the nose. "You're still not awake, are you? Look around."

Ratchet looked around. The roof of the room was made of metal panels, the walls were made of wood, and the floor was covered with a rather soft looking royal blue carpet. He was lying in a bed that was shoved against the wall, the wall behind him made of glass with the stars twinkling outside, though the wall directly behind the bed was made of wood, although Ratchet assumed it was wood on metal. There was a painting hanging above the bed, showing a painted image of a planet that Ratchet recognized as Veldin. Directly across from the bed was a metal door, on the left side of the room was a rather comfortable looking couch in front of a bookshelf with a TV in the middle of it, and on the right side of the room was a kitchen, a dinner table with six chairs, and a door. There were two nightstands, one on each side of the bed, and below the bed were a few drawers.

Angela laid her hand on Ratchet's cheek and turned her head to him. "We're alive, Ratchet."

Ratchet couldn't believe it. "But... how?"

"I don't know, but all I know and care about is that we're together."

Ratchet wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in. They kissed again.

Ratchet wrapped his arms around her, and Angela wrapped her arms around him. Ratchet finally began to pay attention to the bed. It was very, very comfortable, not too hard and not too soft, just right. A white blanket was covering him and Angela, and there were two pillows on the bed, presumably one for him and one for Angela. He let his head rest on his pillow and stared up at the ceiling while Angela moved on top of him. She lay down on him, and stared up at the ceiling with him, Ratchet's arms still wrapped around her waist. Angela's tail swayed excitedly, unintentionally tickling Ratchet. Ratchet let his head rest on hers. "I love you, Angela."

"I love you too, Ratchet. And I always will."

Ratchet smiled. He looked to his right, and noticed a set of buttons. He pressed one of them, and the lights went off, the only light coming into the room being the light from the stars outside. Ratchet smiled and hugged Angela tightly, before closing his eyes. Angela rolled off him, onto her side. She turned to face him, and kissed him gently on the cheek. She let her head rest against his chest, and took a deep breath of his scent.

And then, safely in Ratchet's arms, for the first time in many years, she truly felt safe. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

Ratchet slowly opened his eyes as he woke up. He immediately smiled when he felt Angela lying next to him. He looked over to her.

She looked so peaceful asleep, her eyes closed and her head resting against Ratchet's chest, a faint smile on her lips and a few hairs in her face.

Ratchet carefully kissed her on the cheek. Angela's eyes began to move, she was waking up. Soon enough, two aqua blue eyes that Ratchet loved dearly opened up, and Angela smiled the second her eyes met. Ratchet moved a few hairs out of her face before kissing her, one that she returned. He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Good morning." he said.

"Good morning." she replied.

Ratchet wrapped an arm around her, and Angela laughed in pure joy. "Well, what shall we do today, huh?" he asked, giving her a gentle squeeze. Angela moved closer to him. "I don't care. As long as I'm with you, everything is fine. In fact, I don't want to be away from you ever again."

"Neither do I." Ratchet said, wrapping his arms around her. At that moment, the door to their room slowly opened, and Simon came in, holding a tray with two bowls. "Are you two awake?" he carefully whispered.

"Yeah." Angela muttered. "Yes, we're awake."

Simon smiled, and walked over to the bed before turning on the lights with his free hand. "Is this what I think it is?"

Ratchet grinned and gave Angela a kiss on the forehead. "I guess so."

Simon smiled. "I knew all along."

"Knew what?"

"How much you two cared for each other."

"And you said nothing?" Ratchet said, frowning.

"But wouldn't that have killed all the fun? Besides, would you really have wanted me to tell Angela how you felt?"

Now that Ratchet thought of it, that would have been rather embarrassing. He shook his head.

Simon smiled. "Now, I really don't want to interrupt this moment, but I've got some soup for you two. It'll help you two recover from nearly freezing."

"About that, how did you find us?" Angela asked as she and Ratchet sat up straight and received their bowls of soup from Simon.

"I tracked _my_ ship," he said, staring at Ratchet for a second, "Although the signal disappeared all of a sudden. I went to the signal's last known location and checked out the building nearby, some sort of large building build mainly out of concrete. Upon arrival, there was nobody. I went inside, where I found a woman instructing a bunch of people that were all wearing the same outfits, shirts and jeans, no shoes or socks, which equals torture with those temperatures. The woman told me the whole story, that those people had been imprisoned by Kursed just because they were members of rare species. Of course, I contacted Corneria immediately, and they sent a military dropship to come pick them up. The woman stayed though, she told me that two people had left earlier chased by Kursed, and she described you two. I asked her to show me where you two had went, but since you two had sped off by hoverbike, it would take ages on foot, and thus she used her own ship to fly in the direction she had seen you two speed off in, while I followed her with a spare Arwing. When we reached the point where you two had left her sight, I noticed a building in the distance, and I figured that must have been where you two would have sped off to. I flew the route that I figured you two must have taken, but then I noticed an abandoned hoverbike in the snow. I landed my Arwing and searched the area, and soon enough I found you two."

Simon frowned and shivered. "You two were so cold, as if I had come too late. It was frightening. I called the Great Fox for support, and soon enough, there it was. Taking you two up there would take too much time, you two needed heat immediately, so Fox dropped down to the surface in the Landmaster, basically a tank, and fired some plasma bullets near the cave, starting a small fire. I quickly moved you two over to it while Fox called for backup. He wanted to call the hospital at first, but instead, I instructed him to call somebody else."

"Who?"

"You'll find out later. Anyhow, my plan wasn't working. But then there was that weird woman... I don't know what race she was, but she knelt down near you two, grabbed Ratchet's right hand and Angela's left hand, bowed her head, closed her eyes, and focused. I have no idea what she did, but you two seemed to glow for a second, and when I touched Ratchet's forehead, he felt warm. I immediately got you two back into the Great Fox, carried you two over here, I carried Angela while Fox carried Ratchet, and tucked you two in. You're currently in the guest room. As the Great Fox was pursuing Ratchet to Fichina, I made a rather frightening discovery, something that told me we were going to be in Lylat for a while, so I decorated this room, an unoccupied room, in such a way that I knew you two would both like it."

Ratchet smiled. "Well, you nailed it pretty hard, this place feels like we're on a vacation!" (Author's note: or holiday, depends on where you live)

"Heh, I knew you'd like it. Anyhow, eat your soup."

Ratchet and Angela grabbed their spoons and began to eat. The soup was colored deep red, but in a warm way, not creepy. And it was delicious.

Both Lombaxes moaned in delight as they ate their soup. "It's good, isn't it?" Simon said with a smile.

"You bet!" Ratchet replied. "It's amazing!"

"It's tomato soup, something from my home planet."

"Oh, well, that makes it extra special... I guess."

"If that makes it extra special for you... anyhow, I'll take my leave now. I'll leave it up to you two to fill in your day, just come meet me at the bridge when you're ready, I've got some people to introduce you to."

"Alright." Ratchet replied as Simon walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. When Angela had finished her soup she moved over to him, wrapped her arms around him and let her head rest on his shoulder. "What now?"

Ratchet lay down, and Angela lay down next to him. "I don't know." Ratchet replied. That's when he noticed a remote lying on his nightstand. He grabbed the remote and, out of curiosity, pressed the 'on' button. Immediately a panel in the ceiling flipped open above their feet, and a TV came out of it, slowly getting lowered by some smart use of gears, until it was fully out of the ceiling. Meanwhile the bed had began to move, the side with the pillows on it slowly rising until the bed became something in between a couch and a bed. Angela laughed. "This is life."

Ratchet grinned and chose a channel.

"Oh, Janice, I can't live without you!" the TV immediately blared. Ratchet's ears lowered. "Really? They got that bad show here too?"

Angela laughed. "I guess some things never change."

Out of boredom and curiosity, she began to search through the drawers of her nightstand, and she grinned when she found a controller. "Hey Ratchet?"

"Yes?"

She grabbed the controller and showed it to him. "Care to get your ass kicked?"

Ratchet immediately searched through his own nightstand, and sure enough, there was a controller in his nightstand too. Ratchet grinned as he grabbed the controller. "Anytime."

Apparently, the TV was indeed connected to a gaming console, and a pretty advanced one too. They searched through the games, until they finally chose what appeared to be a mix of platforming, adventure, puzzle and action. What's more, it had multiplayer.

Ratchet and Angela spawned inside a dark-looking dungeon. Immediately they looked around, and Angela noticed a spear attached to the wall. Ratchet grabbed it, getting ready to defend Angela, while Angela grabbed a torch to illuminate the area as they walked into the dark hallways. Soon enough, an enemy found them, some sort of large spider. Ratchet got rid of it pretty quickly.

"Stuff is going fine so far..." he mumbled.

* * *

"C'mon... c'mon..." Angela muttered as she and Ratchet were fighting the final boss of the game, an enormous scorpion. While Angela attacked from a distance, Ratchet fought up-close and distracted the scorpion so Angela had more than enough time to aim. When the scorpion's HP got down to about half though, it suddenly split up into a small army of 1000 dark knights, knights wearing black medieval-looking armour with two glowing red eyes visible through the visor.

Angela dropped down from her vantage point, landing next to Ratchet, and as one they grabbed their meelee weapons. They watched each others' backs perfectly, countering every attack.

And sure enough, the last enemy fell. The words "You win!" appeared on-screen. Angela giggled and put the controller on her nightstand. "We did it!"

Ratchet laughed, and they fist bumped. "Well, what now?" Angela said.

"Shall we head over to the bridge and see what's up?"

"Fine with me. I'll change into something more appropriate though." Angela said, referring to the fact that she was still wearing the white shirt and jeans from Kursed's 'prison'.

She grabbed some clothing from the drawers under the bed, more specifically a pair of proper jeans, a sea blue shirt and a white vest. She disappeared into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Ratchet, still wearing his armour, didn't really have to change his outfit, but the armour was become tiring, so he got up and took off his armour. He was wearing green cargo pants and a white sleeveless shirt underneath. He grabbed a black jacket, put it on and pulled the zipper up to just below his chin, careful not to get any fur stuck in the zipper. He let out a large yawn. Feeling his tired muscles, he bent forward and did some push-ups to get his arms back up and running in no-time. When he got up, the door to the bathroom unlocked and Angela came out in her new outfit. "Your turn." she said. "Or are you going out with that haircut?"

Ratchet realized that, along with the armour, he had accidentally taken off his leather cap. He quickly got it out of the armour, but as he attempted to put it on, Angela stopped him. "Wait..." she said, carefully analyzing the fur on Ratchet's head. The fur on Ratchet's head was slightly longer to resemble hair, and Angela carefully took in Ratchet's face (the male Lombax frowning in confusion) and his hair. And then she got it.

She pulled Ratchet into the bathroom and grabbed a comb, and attacked his hair, Ratchet letting out a surprised yelp. But Angela knew exactly what she was doing, and within minutes Ratchet had a new haircut. His hair had been combed backwards neatly, and Ratchet looked brand new. In fact, he might have looked even better than with his pilot's cap. Angela smiled and kissed him on the forehead. "Just look at you."

"How do I look?" Ratchet asked with genuine curiosity.

"Amazing. But that's never been different."

Ratchet smiled. "I love you."

Angela smiled back. "I love you too."

Ratchet took her hand. "Shall we?"

"Yes. Let's go."

They walked out the door and down the hallways, until they reached the bridge. Simon was standing by the window, staring out into space. He turned around at the sound of footsteps. "Well, look who it is!"

He walked over to them. "Nice haircut." he commented.

"Thanks." Ratchet replied, slightly embarrassed. Suddenly, ROB spoke up. "Hate to interrupt the moment, but a ship is requesting-"

"Access granted." Simon replied immediately.

"O-kay. Giving permission."

Simon turned to the two Lombaxes. "Alright, come with me for a sec."

Together they walked down the hallways, until they reached the gym. As they walked in, they saw a rather strange sight. Four unfamiliar people were standing in the gym, talking to Fox. By the looks of things, they were good friends of Fox. As the Lombaxes and the Human entered, the four people turned around. One of them was a man, an avian with black feathers, a black pilot's suit with a black leather jacket with red lines running down the sleeves, and he was wearing a rather expensive looking headgear.

There was a woman standing to the right of him that was only a bit shorter than him. She vaguely resembled a cat, with silver fur. She was wearing black metal combat armour, and she was wearing a black bandana.

Standing to the right of the woman was a man in sky blue armour, an ape wjtb golden hair and blue eyes, and standing to the right of the ape was another woman. This woman, however, had golden fur with black spots here and there, and she was wearing purple armour. The avian spoke up.

"Geez laweez, what are those?!"

Fox hit him on the back of the head. "You know damn well who they are Falco, now stop being such a douche."

Falco laughed. "Good to see you too, Fox."

Falco stepped forward. "Guess I'll have to introduce myself then. Name's Falco, Falco Lombardi, and I'm the leader of the Star Falco team."

The grey-furred woman stepped forward. "Shouldn't you be getting to the point where you introduce _us_ , feathers?"

"Geez, Katt, I was getting there!" Falco said, throwing his hands into the air. Katt laughed.

Falco shook his head. "Anyhow, that's Katt Monroe, my team's clown-"

He immediately received a punch to the back of the head. "Enough, feathers!" Katt hissed. She turned to the Lombaxes. "Like feathers here said, I'm Katt, but unlike what he said, I'm the tactician of the team, like his appearance tells you, feathers here isn't the brightest bulb in the box, which is also why I do the team's finances."

Katt nodded towards the ape. "Your turn, Dash."

The ape nodded and stepped forward. "And I'm Dash Bowman. I may be a descendant from Andross, but I have absolutely no intentions of following in his footsteps. Instead, I'd rather turn Venom into a paradise rather than kill more people with useless fighting. I'm the team's grenadier, explosives are my tools of the trade."

And last but not least, the golden furred woman stepped forward. "And I'm Miyu Lynx. I'm the team's sniper, as well as the mechanic."

"Huh, I'm a mechanic myself." Ratchet replied with a grin. "Ey!" Miyu replied, holding out her fist. They fist bumped.

"Sorry to interrupt such a _romantic_ moment, but-"

Falco got punched in the face by Miyu. "The hell do you mean, _romantic_?"

Falco grinned. "I saw that stare of yours."

"Bullcrap, cause I'm not in love with him. Add to that, he's taken."

"And how do you know?"

"Unlike you, I am _good_ at reading people."

"Yeah, right."

Miyu showed him her fist again, and Falco quickly dropped the subject. "Okay, okay, what I wanted to say was, when are you gonna introduce yourselves?"

Ratchet stepped forward. "I'm Ratchet Starlight, a mechanic with the unusual habit of saving the universe."

"Saving the universe?" Katt replied with a raised brow.

"You heard me. Every once in a while another wacko appears that either tries to take over the galaxy or destroy the universe, and I usually stop them before it's too late."

Ratchet turned to Angela and nodded. Angela stepped forward. "And I'm Angela Cross, used to be a geneticist, although it's been a while since the last time I've worked as a geneticist, for the past few years I've been way too busy with running for my life. Long story."

"Probably." Falco replied with a roll of his eyes. Katt gave him a hard shove. "Don't be such an asshole, Falco! Why do you think Star Falco is more infamous than famous? Easy: because you've got the manners of an animal!"

"And you love it!" Falco replied.

Katt rolled her eyes. "I do like that rough side of yours, but being so annoying and rude all the time is way over the top."

"Whatever."

"Anyhow," Fox said, turning to the two Lombaxes, "This is team Star Falco. I've asked for their help with... well..."

Simon stepped forward. "As I was searching for Ratchet and Angela on Fichina, Fox stayed on the Great Fox in orbit. He noticed a strange black sludge creeping over the planet, as if some sort of corruption was spreading across the globe. Upon returning I investigated the matter, and it seems it's being held active by some sort of beacon somewhere deep inside the corruption, one that's being guarded by thousands of aircrafts. The corruption is spreading across Fichina as we speak, we need to take down that beacon, and we can't do that alone, Fox and I called for backup."

Falco crossed his arms. "Corruption? What have you been smoking, pal?"

Simon frowned. "Well, go see for yourself if you don't believe me. But trust me that I'm gonna rub it in your face when you get back."

Simon knew all too well that Falco had quite a lot of ego, so possibly hurting the avian's ego was a bull's eye. "Well, then what are we waiting for?" Falco asked.

"There are some people still heading this way, but if we don't act now, there's no telling of what Fichina will turn into. One thing's certain, it isn't good."

Falco rolled his eyes. "Well, let's go then."

"Hang on." Simon said. He reached for his watch, a SmartWatch, and turned on the display. He stared at the screen for a few seconds, before looking up. "We've got some more people landing in the hangar as we speak."

"Who?" Katt asked.

"Slippy, Amanda, Peppy, and Peppy brought his granddaughter Lucy with him, why I do not know, but the more the merrier."

"Slippy?" Falco groaned. Fox punched Falco's arm. "Don't be such a jerk, Falco. Slippy was a reliable teammate and an expert mechanic, and you know that darn well."

Speak of the devil, Slippy Toad came walking in. Slippy was a Zonessian, a humanoid, bipedal frog-like amphibian species that could breathe both air and water. Their homeworld, Zoness, used to be the perfect balance between land and water, a true paradise, but now all that remained was a wasteland, and since the Zonessians had moved to Aquas, Corneria and Macbeth intead. Slippy was wearing sky blue armour, and his trademark cap.

Following right behind him was another Zonessian, female, and pink while Slippy was green. She was wearing sky blue armour too, and she was a bit taller than Slippy. "Amanda, I persume?" Katt asked.

"The one and only." Amanda replied with a grin. "And I presume you all already know my fiancée?"

"Yes, we do." Fox replied. Mere seconds later Peppy came walking in as well. Time had clearly left it's marks on the old hare, fur that was one brown was now dull grey, but although he seemed to have trouble walking, Peppy still had that spark in his eyes that told everyone not to underestimate the old hare.

"What's up, old timer?" Falco asked.

"Falco, you call me old timer one more time, and you'll wake up tomorrow with your ship shoved up your behind."

"Aww, is he teasing you again, grandpa?" a voice spoke behind Peppy. Peppy stepped aside with a look of pride on his face. "Boys, and girls too of course, may I introduce you to my granddaughter Lucy?"

Lucy had grey fur, a slender figure, and was about as tall as her grandfather, and she had the same spark of life in her eyes that her grandfather had too.

Simon frowned. "Forgive me for asking, but why aren't Lucy's parents here? Aren't they skilled pilots, or don't they have time?"

Lucy frowned. "You rude bastard!"

Simon's eyes widened. "Have I offended you in some way? If so, my sincerest apologies, I did not mean any harm."

Peppy shook his head. "Lucy, that man isn't from Lylat altogether, he doesn't know what happened to your parents." Peppy cleared his throat, clearly having some trouble fighting back tears. "Lucy's mother, my daughter, Vivian Hare, passed away due to illness not too long ago. Her husband, Lucy's father and my son-in-law was killed during a pirate raid after leaving the burial. What saddens me more is that my late wife, Amelia, was with him, and died as well. In just a matter of weeks we've lost three close relatives, so I think you can imagine why Lucy's a bit jumpy when it comes to that subject."

Simon's eyes widened. "I'm so, so sorry for ripping that wound open again."

"Don't be, it's not your fault, nor could you have known."

"Yes, but still, I feel like such a jerk now."

"Hold up!" a voice suddenly came from the hallway. "Don't start the party without us!"

Fox turned to the hallway. He smiled immediately. "Bill!"

Sure enough, Fox' good friend from the pilot academy, Bill Grey came walking in. Bill was a strongly-built grey-furred Cornerian Bulldog, and was wearing black jeans and a black leather jacket, and a pair of sunglasses completed the look. "What's up, Fox?" Bill said as he gave his good friend a high five.

"Fine, and how are you? Also, didn't you just say 'us?'"

"Yeah, I did." Bill said, looking around. "Fay? Where have you run off to now?"

"Over here!" a female voice came from the hallway. A few seconds later a female Papetoonian Poodle came running in, panting. "God, you run fast!"

Bill laughed. "Sorry, Fay."

"It's quite alright." Fay said as she got up. Fay had white fur with sky blue eyes, and she was wearing pink armour. She nodded to the group. "I'm Fay, Fay Spaniel."

After everyone had introduced themselves to one another, they headed to the hangar, and a few seconds later the hangar opened up.

Fox' Arwing came shooting out, followed by Slippy's two-seated Arwing (he had altered his Arwing to include a seat for Amanda, who could control a turret on top of the ship.

The next two ships to fly out were Aphelion and Perihelion. The two ships playfully flew around each other, their pilots and the ships themselves laughing.

Next up was team Star Falco, four Cornerian SkyMaster fighters. Falco's SkyMaster, nicknamed the 'BlackDeath 2000', was painted black with crimson wings and two crimson lines running from the front to the ship to the back.

Following him was Katt's ship, which was grey-black with a camouflage pattern, named the 'Snake Eater'. Following Katt was Dash's ship, gold with sky blue wings and named the 'Spatial Crown', and last but not least, Miyu's ship, gold with black spots and royal blue wings.

Following team Star Falco were Peppy and Lucy, Peppy in control of his good old Arwing while Lucy was flying a white ArcAce, Corneria's latest starfigher model.

Closing the group were Bill and Fay, their ships being two Dogfighters, a ship model designed especially for the Bulldog unit.

Simon stayed behind on the Great Fox to fix his Star Explorer, he had been able to fix Aphelion, Perihelion and Fox' Arwing but he hadn't had time to fix his own ship, but he trusted the group of skilled pilots to save the day.

* * *

"Alright, everyone! We're heading to Fichina, there's some sort of strange corruption spreading across the planet and the source seems to be some sort of tower located at the center of the corruption. We've got to destroy that thing!" Fox told everyone through the communication network set up within the small armada.

"Are you certain it's safe?" Katt asked.

"I have no clue, but if we don't stop this..."

"I understand. Let's rock!"

As one the ships shot into Fichina's icy atmosphere, and soon enough, they saw something... bizarre.

Up ahead the surface of the planet, that used to be covered in icy cliffs, was some sort of black substance, and completely flat. "What the heck?!" Falco cried out.

"Tell me about it." Dash replied. "This is bloody crazy!"

Fox' eyes widened. "Scatter!" He yelled as he rolled out of the way, the other ships following his example. Some sort of projectile of the strange dark substance shot past them, leaving a trail of the stuff in it's wake. "What the frick is that!?" Bill thought out loud.

"Tracer ammo!" Peppy yelled. "If we follow the trail, it should lead us straight to the beacon!"

"Be careful though," Lucy said, "I barely saw that thing coming, since this whole place is made of the stuff, it's perfect camouflage."

But then Ratchet noticed something. "Behind us!" he yelled as he activated the boosters. He shot forward, the other ships following his example... save for Miyu. "Damn it, I've got booster trouble!"

Meanwhile, a wave of dark energy was coming right at them from behind. It slowly shapeshifted into a hand, it opened and reached for Miyu, and...

Before it could grab her ship, the hand suddenly shot out of the way, rapid orange laser fire forcing it to back off. "What was-"

"Don't get the party started without me!" a voice yelled through the communication channel that sounded eerily familiar to Ratchet. "Tiger!"

Sure enough, a ship got visible. It looked a lot like a Star Explorer, but upon closer inspection, it was quite different. It's hull was slimmer and the cockpit allowed for a 360 degree view of the ship's surroundings. The ship's backside was one huge engine, and instead of one wing, it had four in an X-like formation, each of them having a minigun at their tip that, by the looks of it, shot plasma. The ship was orange with a black stripe pattern, and a face was drawn on the ship's nose that resembled some kind of predator, two angry green eyes that seemed to glow, a maw full of sharp teeth and a murderous look.

The hand recovered though, and shot straight at the ship. The four miniguns activated in response, sending a torrent of plasma fire at the hand, tearing it asunder. "Never mess with the Nine-Lived." Tiger growled as her ship dropped altitude to avoid the rain of dark... whatever it was.

"Care for another team member?" Tiger asked as she joined the group.

"Of course not!" Fox replied.

"And thanks for the save!" Miyu said.

"Anytime." Tiger replied. "What is this place anyway?"

"Beats me." Angela replied. "But I know one thing: I don't want to touch it."

"Yeah, that's pretty clear." Tiger chuckled. "Say... it is surprisingly quiet, huh?"

"Yeah... until a few seconds ago we were under attack, but now... it is eerily quiet." Ratchet replied.

"And I see why!" Slippy said. "Enemies at seven! A lot of 'em too!"

And Slippy was not joking. An entire fleet of ships made of that strange dark material came charging at them. Immediately the small 'good guy armada' scattered, Ratchet, Angela, Tiger and Fox taking the left flank, Team Star Falco taking the right flank while Bill, Fay, Slippy and Amanda, Lucy and Peppy attached the ships from the front.

A torrent of laser fire followed, and immediately a large portion of the enemies got taken out. The survivors, however, returned fire. Thankfully all pilots were beyond-skilled and thus were more than capable of dodging the attacks.

After all enemies had been dealt with, Peppy noticed something. "There's something coming from below! Watch out!"

Falco and Katt barely had enough time to fly out of the way as a huge tower came rising up from the dark sea. "That must be the beacon." Dash thought out loud.

Wrong.

The tower began to shapeshift, and within seconds it had transformed into a gigantic boar-like beast. The creature roared and charged at the group, but repeating the technique they had used earlier, the boar was soon getting blasted with laser fire. "Falco, look out!" Fox yelled as he saw something shooting towards Falco. Falco rolled out of the way and boosted forward as something zipped past him. "What was that!?"

"I don't know!" Fox yelled as he desperately tried to find the projectile, but it turned out to be impossible with the dark background.

"Angela, look out!" Ratchet yelled as he rammed Perihelion's nose just in time to make the blue craft dodge another projectile. Angela gasped. "That was too close for comfort!"

"Tell me about it. Pay attention please, I don't want to lose you just yet." Ratchet repled.

"Likewise. And I think I saw what attempted to hit me. I honestly don't want to believe my eyes, bu I think I nearly got rammed by a large, black eye."

Fay shuddered. "That's gross!"

"Hate to interrupt the moment, but I've got three of 'em on my tail and I can't shake them. What's more, they're firing back." Dash growled as he rolled back and forth to avoid the eyes stalking him.

"Gotcha!" Slippy yelled as he began to chase Dash, and while Slippy shot down the eyes, Amanda kept firing at the titanic beast.

Speaking of the beast, it was doing surprisingly little, it was just standing there, as if it was waiting for something. When Slippy had destroyed the eyes, however, the beast roared.

"I think those eyes are connected to that beast somehow." Bill thought out loud. "Our ammo doesn't seem to do much against him, but destroying those eyes seems to hurt him! Everyone, focus on the eyes!"

"Got it." Katt replied as she chased after two eyes heading towards Falco and destroyed them. The beast roared again, proving Bill's theory.

Immediately all ships changed technique and focused on destroying the eyes swarming the area. As they shot down more and more eyes, the beast seemed to shrink. As Angela shot down the last eye the creature roared and tumbled over. It sank into the dark sea with a loud screech, disappearing in the black sludge. "Well that was gross." Angela commented.

"Tell me about it." Ratchet replied. Then Bill spoke up. "Guys? Take a look at the sky..."

Up ahead, some sort of black whirlwind had formed, a tower seemingly at the center of it. "How are we gonna reach that thing with that hurricane active?"

"Simple, we're gonna use it against itself." Ratchet replied, opening fire at the hurricane. The plasma fire got sucked into the whirlwind and began to circle the tower, scorching it. The others joined in, and together they unleashed a storm of plasma. After about five minutes, they stopped firing to check the damage. Although the tower had been scorched on the outside, it was still standing. Frankly, the plasma fire hadn't done that much to the tower.

But then a white-blue Star Explorer shot past them and into the storm. Although the whirlwind tried it's best, it could not unbalance the small ship. Flying into the eye of the hurricane, Simon touched down on top of the tower. He got out and grabbed his sword before making his way down a long set of stairs built against the wall of the tower. There it was.

In the center of the room floated a massive black crystal, dark electricity running over it and disappearing into the tower itself. This was the source of the tower's power.

Grabbing his sword tightly, Simon jumped into the air and released a storm of attacks, dealing blow after blow to the crystal.

And then the crystal shattered. Immediately the low humming that had been present disappeared, the tower's energy source disappearing bringing it to a stop.

But it had all been a trap. The stairs leading up to the roof disappeared, and the tower began to explode. Simon didn't think twice, and jumped at the wall. He jumped off it, and in mid-air he began to spin, using his sword as a helicopter blade to reach the roof. That spin attack, defying gravity for short periods of time, was one of the powers his sword, Final Eclipse, granted it's wielder.

Reaching the roof, Simon immediately noticed that there was no time to get into his Star Explorer. He just ran and dove off the tower, the Star Explorer diving after him with an opened cockpit and catching him mid-flight. He closed the cockpit and got out of there. After regrouping with the others, they headed back to the Great Fox, a job well done.

It was just the beginning.

* * *

 **At last, they're together! Yes, Ratchet and Angela are a couple at last! And a small army begins to form, huh? Expect not only more OC's to appear soon, but more romance-based chapters as well.  
**

 **Also, in less than a week Ratchet & Clank PS4 will be released! I'm so excited! Finally I can blow stuff up again, and this time in full HD!  
**

 **Anyhow, until the next chapter, please leave a review/favorite/follow (if it isn't too much trouble) and (hopefully) see you in chapter nine!**


	9. Trouble and new teammates

**Alright, I'm back! First off, as you all may have noticed, I wasn't able to get this chapter done on time to upload it Wednesday, and my apologies for that. Anyhow, I won't delay y'all with long author's notes, so let's get to the reviews!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _Again, amazing chapter and definitely romance in there. It was very emotional and I had to have a spot in feels hospital... probably used hundreds of tissues... my sister read this chapter, too, and she felt the same way. Still, wonderful chapter!  
P. S. I'm very excited about the new Ratchet and Clank game, too! I can't wait to see how the Pixiler works and everything!  
P. S. S. I'm so glad Ratchet and Angela are finally together! I love this couple very much! I'll be taking my complimentary chicken- HA! Kidding! Lol!_"  
Well, can't say I didn't warn everyone... And I'm glad your sister liked it too! And I'm very excited as well! Still, even though I pre-ordered through Amazon, my copy of the game arrives on the 26th... And no worries, there's more where that romance came from... And complimentary stuff, I suppose that's a reference to fellow author Amberdiamondswords? Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _THE FEELS, THE SHEAR LEVELS OF FEELS!  
Very few moments have forced me to wrestle with the feels like this. Great job. In that department, that is what I call... a capital SPIZ.  
Plus, THE GANG IS TOGETHER! Fox, Star Falco and the rest of the cast with Ratchet, Simon, Angela and...Clank? Wait, where's Clank? CLANK!  
On another note, it was a while back on Epilogue 1.5 but, is Dash Bowman the character you'd said I'd like...because of what I'd said about the explosive cockpit?  
Also, I sadly won't be in possession of a copy of Ratchet & Clank PS4 when it comes out but maybe, one day, I too will blow stuff up again in full HD  
(Pulls out Travel The Days)  
See you around...  
Max out  
P.S. "Oh, Janice, I can't live without you." NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (Continues for another fifteen minutes)_"  
Well, I did warn everyone, huh? And capital Spiz? Oooh, I'm just getting started! And no, I was not referring to Dash Bowman, I was referring to another OC that will make an appearance later, saviour of worlds' OC. And I'm not blowing stuff up in full HD either, because my copy hasn't arrived yet... and I can't wait! I wanna blow stuff up... Anyhow, glad you enjoyed, and I hope you'll love this chapter just as much.**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter. It's a good thing that the team has gotten bigger cuz I got a feeling that they're gonna need all the help they can get. I can't wait to read the next chapter. :)_ "  
I'd say you're correct, it's likely that they'll be needing all the help they can get. And wait no more, it's here! Enjoy!**

 **zenith88: "** ** _Very nice chapter again. And so long. I can't wait for the game and the movie too. I've already set everything at home._ "  
Thanks! And I've already reserved a day in my agenda on which I'll be watching the R&C movie. As for the game, I'm waiting for it to arrive, it should arrive on the 26th.**

 **Zeta warrior 16: "** ** _Both Ch 7 &8 where great. I missed Ch 7 being realised but still great can't wait for Ch 9_"  
Thanks! Although, if I may ask, what do you mean by "being realised"? Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Guest (which, one slightly panicked PM later, turned out to be saviour of worlds): " _Corruption?, Flying eyeballs?, Spreading?... This makes me think of Terraria!_**  
 _ **And I was wondering, what is Clank doing? I mean, quite some time has passed. Is he still at holostar studios? If that's the case, long movie/film.**_

 _ **Saturday is now my favorite day, because of the new chapters coming up every week. (_)**_  
 _ **Also, I forgot to review last time. I totally forgot! Sorry about that.(0_0)well shit)**_  
 _ **Anyway, I can't wait for the new chapter.**_

 _ **Though, it's sad that you can't update on Wednesday anymore. I liked bonus ducks, I mean chapters on Wednesday. But I understand.**_

 ** _PS, How does Falco fit in the great fox? his ego is 10x bigger!_ "  
I'll be honest with you, I did take some inspiration from Terraria's 'corruption', although Black Hole takes it to a whole new level. As for Clank... nah, you'll see soon enough. And don't worry about forgetting to review, I will never make a problem of that. I'm already happy that you're reviewing, when doesn't matter to me. As for the mystery with Falco, that's a mystery only the cocky avian himself might be able to answer.**

 **Heather: "** ** _Amazing, yet emotional chapter! You are such an awesome writer! As for the planet making challenge, does that mean anyone can make a planet?_ "  
Thank you! As for the 'planet making challenge', it's a bit more complicated than that. You see, I can make a planet at all times, the challenge is just a fun way to encourage 'planet makers' to try out new things in a competitive style. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **john walaszek1: "** ** _Now that is what I call a squadron. But is there a chance that Kursed might go after our heroes since Ratchet and Angela broke out of her base? (Although she would think that they froze to death)_ "  
Possibly. We mustn't forget that Kursed is a professional bounty hunter and, if you know who she used to be, a telepath, so in theory she could pop up at any moment. Although it'd be pretty foolish of her to attack now, that is if she indeed holds a grudge against Ratchet, Angela and Tiger, because there are so many good guys around, it'd be nearly impossible to break into the Great Fox, kill the three aforementioned heroes, and get out unnoticed. But I can assure you, she'll return, and when she does...  
**

 **Alright, everyone! Enjoy chapter 9!**

* * *

One after another the ships entered the hangar of the Great Fox, the spacious landing area providing more than enough room for all of the ships.

Ratchet yawned as he got out of Aphelion, and he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Tired?" Angela asked.

"Yeah."

"Alright, everyone!" Simon spoke up once everyone had gotten out of their aircrafts. "Job well done! We've saved planet Fichina! However, I highly doubt that this was the end, I am certain that more of those beacons will start popping up on various planets. Therefor Fox and I have discussed what to do next, and we've decided to offer you all a room on board this ship. That is, if everyone's still happy to help, if anyone wishes to leave we won't stop them."

Everyone stayed quiet. "I suppose that means that nobody's leaving?" Simon asked. Everyone nodded. "Alright then. There's dinner ready in the ship's kitchen, I suggest we all go there and eat something. We've got a long and tough road ahead."

Everyone began to move to the kitchen: Bill and Fay, who were talking about the mission, followed by Katt and Falco who were, once again, arguing about something, then Slippy and Miyu who were talking about mechanics and engineering, Amanda walking next to Slippy and holding her fiancé's hand and pretended to listen to the conversation he was having, although she did not understand a thing of what he was saying, but that was okay.

Behind Slippy, Amanda and Miyu were Peppy and Lucy, who were talking about the mission. Peppy honestly did not have words to describe how happy it made him that he had fought aside his granddaughter, as a team, and a good team too.

And closing the group were Dash, Tiger and Fox, Tiger staying quiet while Dash and Fox were having a conversation about the future of Venom, and how Dash intended to change it. Dash wanted to know what Andross did so he could avoid making the same mistakes, and Fox was more than happy to help, yet careful at the same time. If Dash's plans ended up with another war with Venom, Fox wanted to have the upper hand, and thus he told Dash nothing about how Star Fox had managed to defeat Andross, just to be safe.

But as Ratchet and Angela were about to follow the rest of the group, Simon stopped them. "Hang on a second."

"What is it?" Ratchet asked.

"There's no dinner for you two."

"What?! Why?!" Angela asked.

Simon grinned. "Is there anything more fun than cooking together?"

And then they got what he meant. Ratchet and Angela walked back to their room, hand-in-hand. Upon arrival, Angela walked into the kitchen while Ratchet sat down on the couch. "You coming?" Angela asked.

"I'm sorry, Angela, but I'm just really tired."

Angela smiled. "How about a little contest? I cook something for you, you cook something for me. May the best cook win."

Ratchet smiled and tiredly got up. "Can't say no to a little competition, can I?" he said with a yawn.

"Of course you can say no, I don't want to force you."

"No, it's alright. Gimme a sec." Ratchet said as he walked into the bathroom and splashed some cold water in his face. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, and walked back into the kitchen. "Ready."

"Set." Angela replied with a grin.

"Go!" they said in unison as they both grabbed a pan.

* * *

"Done!" Ratchet said. "How are you doing?"

"Almost done, give me one more minute."

"Alright."

When both Lombaxes had finished cooking they sat down on opposite sides of the table, each placing a dish in front of the other. "Oh, no." Angela said as she saw what Ratchet had made for her. "Pancakes. That's it, I give up."

"Not so fast." Ratchet said as he stared at his own dinner. "Veldinian Lasagna?"

"Yes?"

"How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"How did you know that I absolutely love Veldinian Lasagna?"

"Let's say a little bird whispered it into my ear. A little metal bird with large green eyes."

Ratchet laughed and rolled his eyes. "Clank. I could've guessed."

"But you didn't, so no bonus points for you!" Angela said with a playful poke to Ratchet's arm. "Aww..." Ratchet whined, making Angela laugh. "In all seriousness though," Ratchet spoke. "We should start eating now."

"Oh, you bet, I can't wait!"

About one hour later Ratchet and Angela were lying on the couch watching a science show. They were already wearing their nightwear, both Lombaxes ready to go to bed. Ratchet didn't really like watching a science show at first, but Angela did, so for her, he endured it. That is, until Angela began explaining. She could truly explain very well.

Ratchet smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I love you." He whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Every time he said those words, it was as if a shock of pure life and joy raced through Angela's body. It was amazing. Angela's heartbeat increased as she snuggled up to him, and closed her eyes. Ratchet chuckled, and began to stroke her upper arms.

Slowly but surely Angela fell asleep, and soon enough Ratchet heard her breathing slower to the steady rhythm of a deep sleep. He carefully picked her up and held her bridal-style before carrying her over to the bed and tucking her in. He turned off the TV and the lights before lying down next to her. "Sleep well, my love." he whispered whilst planting a kiss on her forehead.

* * *

Although the lack of an atmosphere outside meant that it was still rather dark in the room, a large golden ear twitched as it's owner was awakening from their slumber. Two aqua blue eyes opened to greet the world once more. Angela yawned and smiled, but her smile faded when she noticed something. " _It feels as if something is lying on top of me..._ "

She looked down at her feet, and screamed. Ratchet shot awake. "What!?"

But Ratchet wasn't the only one who woke up. A creature had been sleeping on their bed, lying on top of Angela's legs. Angela's scream made it's eyes shoot open, and made it jump a few feet into the air.

The door suddenly slammed open and Simon came running in, sword raised. " **Stop right there, criminal scum!** "

Simon looked around. "Uuh... am I missing something? Where's the bad guy?"

Angela stared at the creature sitting on her bed in terror... and it stared back with a similar expression. Simon noticed the animal. "Wait, what!?"

He carefully walked over to the bed. He carefully began to pet the animal. "Sssh, it's okay. She's not gonna harm you, you just scared the hell out of her."

Standing on Angela's bed was what could best be described as a mix of a cat and a Lombax. It had white fur with blue stripes, and stood on all fours like a cat, but it had Lombax ears and a Lombax tail. It also had deep blue eyes, that were currently staring at Angela in terror. Simon scratched the animal just below it's right ear, and it seemed to calm. "If I may ask, how did you find him?" Simon asked.

"Found 'him'? He found me to be honest..."

"I see."

"Well... what is that... 'thing' anyway?" Ratchet asked. The animal responded by glaring and hissing at Ratchet. "Be careful with your language, Ratchet. The name is Photon, not 'thing'. And yes, Photon has feelings."

"Photon?" Angela asked.

"Yeah. Angela, do you remember the pet I gave you when you were a child?"

"Yes?"

"When I tried to create another one, Photon was born. However, Photon's DNA was unstable and he would surely have died... if I hadn't added some Lombax DNA to his genetic material. It's a hair from you that saved him. Or, at least, the part of the DNA that adds the trademark ears' structure. The rest is Photon's own genetic material."

Simon petted Photon's head, and the cat purred in response. "You don't have anything to fear about Photon. Or, well, he won't kill you, but beware, he pulls pranks on me sometimes. Swapping the sugar and salt for instance." Simon said whilst shooting Photon a pointed look. The cat stuck out his tongue. Simon laughed. "Another thing you should know is that Photon is actually really smart. Although he can't speak, or understand science or technology, he understands it when you speak to him, or ask him something. And he'll find a way to reply, trust me. He's also very fast, which is why he's named Photon, a photon is a light particle."

Ratchet laughed. "Well, it fits him nicely."

Photon turned to Angela. He walked over to her and rubbed itself against her arm. "He likes you." Simon explained. "And that's somewhat rare considering Photon's often a bit distrustful at first. But he seems to really like you, and judging by the fact that he isn't acting hostile towards Ratchet, I think it's safe to assume he likes Ratchet too."

Ratchet laughed, and Angela smiled. Angela began to stroke Photon's back, and the cat responded by curling up in her lap and closing it's eyes. "He's cute!" Angela commented.

"He understands what you're saying, you know. I can tell he's flattered. And he seems really at ease around you or Ratchet."

But then the alarms went off. Ratchet's ears lowered, and Photon jumped with a surprised 'mew!'.

"Oh, what is it _this_ time?" Ratchet asked with an irritated growl. "I don't know," Simon replied, "but I do know that this alarm means that there is big trouble on a nearby planet. This one also has a specific pattern in morse code that keeps repeating 'bridge now'. I suppose we should go see what's going on."

"Got it." Angela yelled, jumping out of bed and running into the bathroom. "I'll meet up with you at the bridge." Simon said to Ratchet before turning to the still rather uncomfortable Photon. "Come, Photon."

Photon understood and jumped, landing on Simon's shoulder. The Human ran out of the room and closed the door behind him. Ratchet quickly got into a pair of jeans and a white shirt before putting on his Quantumfibre armour. As he put on his helmet and activated the visor's HUD, the bathroom door opened and Angela came out, dressed in her usual jumpsuit, although she had added some extra plating to it since the last time she had worn it. The two quickly made their way to the bridge, meeting Bill and Fay in the hallways.

As the four reached the bridge, everyone was there at last. Star Falco was present, Simon and Fox, Slippy and Amanda, Tiger, and even Lucy and Peppy were all present and good to go. But their expressions were rather unsettling.

The Great Fox was hovering over planet Corneria, or at least, what used to be Corneria. A dark haze was covering the planet, and what was once a mix of blue, green, and white was now a mix of grey and black. The mist seemed to swirl, as if it was a huge cyclone, the epicenter being Corneria's northern pole. "This is horrible..." Falco muttered, barely able to believe what he was seeing.

"We've got no time to waste!" Katt suddenly said, overcoming the initial shock. "Corneria seems to be in a worse condition than Fichina was, and the dark clouds are getting denser. If we don't hurry..."

* * *

A small army of ships shot into Corneria's once blue but now grey atmosphere, heading towards the northern pole. "Okay team, let's rock and roll!" Fox said.

"Hang on, we're passing Corneria city!" Simon warned, who had Photon with him (mostly because the cat jumped into the cockpit and hid behind one of the seats while Simon wasn't looking). And soon enough, Corneria city came into view.

The mere sight of it nearly made everyone puke. What was once an elegant skyline of silver buildings was now a crumbled wasteland. The glass had been shattered, and thick black spiked roots were overgrowing most of the buildings.

But what was worse, were the people. Corneria's inhabitants were everywhere, most of them dead and... half-eaten. But others had a worse fate, with black roots drilled into the back of their heads, the unlucky citizens stumbling around like zombies.

"Guys, stay calm!" Simon yelled. "It's a lie! Yes, what you see is real, but once we take down that beacon everything will go back to the way it was before this... 'darkness' came."

"Yeah, but still, this is very, very gross. It's something straight out of a horror movie!" Ratchet said.

"I agree with you, Corneria surely has seen better days, but we need to keep moving. We can stop this. What bothers me more though-"

"Look out!" Dash yelled. Lightning began to strike the buildings, but instead of appearing bright like usual lightning, this lightning was deep crimson and casted everything in an ominous red glow.

All ships dropped altitude immediately. "Guys," Tiger commented. "Those... well... 'what used to be Cornerian citizens' are a bit too excited if you ask me, they're running after us and are seemingly attempting to cling onto our ships. We shouldn't fly too low, or we'd be covered in... well... zombies."

"Eugh! The mere thought makes me nauseous!" Angela said. "Just stay calm, we can stop this!" Simon said immediately.

After they had left the remnants of Corneria city, the ships accelerated, and for fifteen minutes, everything was quiet.

And then, as they entered the polar region, all hell broke loose. The ground was one huge dark vortex, and large dark hands were reaching out of it, clawing at the ships. "From one nightmare to the other, this day just keeps getting better and better huh?" Tiger said, her voice full of sarcasm.

"Tell me about it." Fox said. "What is this stuff anyway?"

"Pieces of Black Hole's energy. The suit he has has the unique ability to transform the user's fierce hatred for the world into physical objects, but since darkness and hatred are 'empty', what you see is actually empty parts of this plane of existence. If you'd even touch that stuff, you'd simply 'disappear', never to be seen again. I don't even want to think what it would be like for someone falling into that stuff, but this _is_ Black Hole were talking about, so imagine 'hellish pain' squared. Twice."

Every pilot's face was filled with disgust as they flew over the 'sea of hands'. But they all nearly had a heart attack when a larger hand suddenly shot out of the corrupted surface. It clawed at the ships. "That's the beacon! If we destroy that thing, Corneria will be just fine!" Simon said before unleashing a barrage of plasma bullets.

Strangely, it did not seem to harm the hand. "Okay... it seems like we need to kill this thing some other way. Any ideas?"

"Perhaps a smart bomb?" Fox thought out loud as he fired a bomb at the hand. It didn't deal any damage whatsoever. "This is creepy." Fay commented.

But then, the hand suddenly grabbed. Ratchet shot forward and rammed Perihelion out of the way, only to be grabbed by the hand himself. "Ratchet!" Everyone yelled in unison as the hand began to drag Aphelion down into the dark abyss.

Everyone fired at the hand like a madman, but nothing worked. "Angela." Ratchet spoke up. "Remember me."

Angela suddenly burst out crying. "I love you, Ratchet! I can't live without you! There's got to be a way!"

"I love you too." Ratchet replied. Suddenly, the hand let him go with a loud roar. It shuddered as if it had grabbed something really, really hot.

"That's it! The concepts of pure emotions, like love and friendship, the darkness can't handle it! Everyone, go as emotional as possible!"

"I want to find Krysal, even if it'd cost me my life!" Fox cried out. The hand shuddered again.

"I want to save my family from what this darkness turned them into!" Miyu yelled.

"I want my wife, daughter and son-in-law back!" Peppy yelled. "I miss my parents and grandmother!" Lucy added.

"I want something to eat!" Falco yelled. "Falco, for real?" Katt asked with a raised brow. "Now, out of all times?"

"Hey, it works, right?"

"No."

"Then let's kick it up a notch."

Falco cleared his throat. "Oooh, why?! Why did the taco's have to go?! Why?! Taco's, nooooooooooooooo!"

That did it. The hand let out one last roar before it collapsed and disappeared. "A sad story about food kills a giant monster?! Now I've seen everything." Tiger commented, and they all laughed. "We did it!" Simon suddenly said. "Look at the ground!"

Slowly but surely the vortex was fading to reveal Corneria's white icecaps. The dark clouds disappeared as well.

But as the last cloud was about to disappear, a beam of concentrated crimson lightning hit Aphelion, frying it's systems. "You won't get in my way again, Lombax!" Black Hole's voice echoed through the cockpit before Ratchet slammed into the unforgiving ice and everything went black.

* * *

Ratchet's vision was one white blur, and he could only barely hear. He heard voices in the distance, that were slowly getting clearer. "Ssh! He's waking up!"

"How is he?"

"Well, most of his bones were broken, but thank god no internal organs or his neck got damaged. He was very, very lucky." a voice said that sounded very very familiar to Ratchet, though distinct at the same time. Where had he heard that voice before?

His vision began to sharpen. He could vaguely see that he was in a hospital bed, with various wires attached to him. He felt something wrap around his chest. A golden blur entered his vision, and moved closer until it was right in front of him. It moved even closer, and Ratchet could make out who it was.

"An-ge-la?" he managed to mutter with a dry throat. The golden blur moved, as if Angela was nodding. Ratchet felt something touch his forehead, stroking his cheek, before Angela moved closer and gave him a kiss.

"Uuh... am I missing something?" the familiar voice from earlier spoke. But Angela's kiss had a strange effect on Ratchet, his vision sharpened immediately, his mind snapped back to reality, and his senses were pushed to the limit. Angela broke the kiss, and stared him in the eyes, her eyes full of joy. "Welcome back, Ratchet."

Angela got up and looked to someone left of her. "You did a wonderful job at getting him fixed up. I can't thank you enough."

Ratchet looked in the direction Angela was facing, and...

"No biggie, he's my son after all."

"Mom?" Ratchet asked. Elisabeth moved closer. "Yes, it's me."

"What are you doing here?"

"When we heard of the situation, we came running."

"We?"

As if on cue, Kaden and Alister came walking in. Kaden's eyes widened when he saw that Ratchet was awake. He ran over to his son and hugged him. "Oh, Ratchet, you scared the crap out of me."

Kaden looked at Alister. "No comments, please."

Alister laughed. "Relax, Kay. He scared me too. Besides, he's your son, you've got a darn good reason to be emotional."

Kaden smiled. "Thanks, Al. I'm thankful for your ability to be serious when you need to be."

Elisabeth walked over to her son as well, and joined in the hug. Angela stood by and watched with mixed feelings. On one hand, she was thankful that Ratchet had his parents back and that they could be there for him right now, but on the other hand, she was sad that her parents would not be brought back.

Alister was having mixed feelings as well, but for a different reason. He was staring at Angela. For some weird reason, when she was around, he felt... odd. Anger, joy, sadness, fear, and even regret shot through his mind, but why he honestly did not know.

"Is he awake?" a familiar voice said. Simon came in.

"Yes, he's awake." Alister replied. "Although he's getting either strangled or crushed right now. Can't really see."

Everyone laughed. Kaden and Elisabeth stepped back. "So... how did you guys get here?" Ratchet asked, nodding towards his parents and Alister.

"Simon had called us that he needed our help, so we came flying. Besides, anything to spend some more time with my son." Kaden replied. "Yeah, we should definitely do some things together." Ratchet replied.

"Anyhow, we got here just in time to saw you getting shot down. Thank goodness I'm a medic, otherwise I'd probably have lost my son..." Elisabeth said.

"But, we did save Corneria." Simon said. "But now all we can do is wait for Black Hole's next move."

As if on cue, Falco came running in. "We've got a situation. Ship at twelve, under attack from pirate aircrafts."

"Well, go help them then!" Simon replied. "I would already be in space if Katt hadn't commanded me to go tell you."

"You? Accepting an order?"

"If I'd ignored Katt I'd be missing most of my feathers right now. I hate taking orders, but I hate losing my feathers more. Anyhow, be right back."

Simon's Smart-Watch made a noise. The Human checked his watch. "No longer necessary, Falco. Tiger's got it."

* * *

True to her word, Tiger was flying away from the Great Fox, at the besieged ship. It was a totally one-sided battle: the pilot was good, but he or she couldn't possibly dodge all of the thousands of shots send their way. The ship was getting pummeled from all sides.

Tiger activated the afterburners and her ship shot forward, into the battle. As Tiger got closer, she could make out more of the ship's design.

It was a slim golden-turquoise spacecraft. The cockpit looked similar to that of a Star Explorer, and the ship was equipped with one main engine with two afterburners located diagonally above the main engine. It's wings were wide and flat, allowing for quick turning in-atmosphere aside from looking pretty cool. As Tiger approached and opened fire on the pirates, the ship, that had been firing plasma, unleashed a swarm of torpedoes that took down two of the pirate ships. As a team the two ships took down the pirate fleet with ease, the drunk robots being no match for the two skilled pilots. After the last pirate ship exploded, the other pilot reached out to Tiger's ship. It was a female Lombax with black fur and turquoise stripes, purple eyes, and straight dark blue hair (so dark in fact that it appeared black at first sight) with silver highlights, side bangs parted to the right, that ended about two inches above her shoulders. She was wearing deep green armour with bronze plating that Tiger knew was called the 'Scavenger suit'.

"Thanks for the help." The Lombax said.

"No problem, I'm always happy to help. The name's Tiger by the way."

"Well, you came at just the right time, and you can call me Nebula."

"Well, pleased to meet you. But what brings you to Lylat anyway?"

"Lylat? I didn't even know that that's what this solar system is called. And I was just passing through. I work for the Bogon Defense Force, you see. I only came to Polaris Galaxy to see for myself if the rumors were true, if the Lombax race had truly returned to this reality. Anyhow, I should be on my way now. Thanks again for the save."

"No problem, and WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

Nebula turned to where Tiger was looking. In the distance had been a golden planet. Had been. A dense dark cloud was stretching across the globe. "Oh, snap, I gotta go back! I need to alert everyone or else that planet's doomed!"

"Wait, slow down, what is happening?" Nebula asked.

"I have no time to explain. If you want to help, then please follow me."

Tiger's ship blasted off towards the Great Fox, Nebula right behind her. After landing in the docking bay, they raced to the bridge... only to meet everyone in the hallway.

"I'm going in." Kaden said as he approached Aphelion. He was speaking into an earpiece. "Dad, please don't." Ratchet replied. "Son, I've fought plenty of battles. Besides, I'm a racer, if there's anyone good at dodging stuff it'd be me."

"He has got a point, Ratchet." Elisabeth spoke, who was sitting on a chair next to her son's bed. Ratchet was still recovering, so he stayed grounded for now. Elisabeth quickly became the team's medic, and thus she stayed behind on the Great Fox in the medical bay. It wasn't boring though, right now she could finally spend some time with her son, and even if he wasn't there, she could always play chess with ROB or something.

Elisabeth grimaced. "Kaden, please be careful. If I'd lose you..."

She and Ratchet were watching a TV screen placed at the far side of Ratchet's bed. The earpiece Kaden was wearing had a camera that was streaming live footage to the TV screen. It did come in handy though, it was like Kaden had two extra pairs of eyes.

Well, make that three pairs. Angela stayed behind as well, not willing to risk getting shot. Although Perihelion stayed in the hangar for now, Kaden would be taking the skies in Aphelion, which had been his old ship. Alister would cover him with his own spacecraft, named Epoch. (Author's note: The aphelion and the perihelion are the highest and lowest points respectively in an orbit, while the epoch has to do with the orbiting object's position along it's orbit)

As the army of ships headed for the infected planet, Katina, the three Lombaxes watched through Kaden's earpiece. "Uuh..." Kaden spoke up. "How do I turn on the music again?"

"Sixth button from the left, although you shouldn't do that, makes it harder to talk to us or your team members." Ratchet replied. Kaden laughed. "You know more about my old ship than I do, son. It's almost scary. Anyhow, you're right, I just always listened to music when racing. I figured it would help in bringing back some memories and tricks."

"Perhaps."

Kaden sighed. "You know, it saddens me that I never got to see you grow up. It saddens me a lot."

"It's okay, dad. You're here, that's all that matters."

"Yeah, you're right. And you bet I'm not going anytime soon."

"I hope. Anyhow, you're about to enter the warzone, keep an eye out for enemies. If there's one thing that Black Hole likes, it's surprise attacks."

"Thanks for the heads up. I've got this, son."

Ratchet yawned and pulled the blankets up to his chin. "You tired?" Elisabeth asked.

"Yeah, I'm quite tired, mom."

"Son, I... would you do me a favor?"

"What is it, mother?"

"Could I... could I sing you a lullaby? I know you're an adult, it's just... I never really got to do that..."

Ratchet smiled. "It's okay. I completely understand."

Angela chuckled. "Cute."

Ratchet rolled his eyes. Angela sighed. "Ratchet, I didn't mean it mockingly, I'm serious, that's cute. Anyhow, I'll leave you two alone. I'll go grab a cup of tea or something." Angela said before walking out of the room.

Elisabeth smiled and laid a hand on Ratchet's forehead. Ratchet closed his eye, and took a few deep breaths. Elisabeth closed her eyes and began to sing.

And for a moment, it was as if Ratchet was but a baby again, an innocent, little baby, staring up at her with those big eyes of his. Oh, how she'd love to have seen her son grow, but that time was taken from her, and would never be returned. But, she told herself, that he was here and alive, that was all that mattered. And now that they were together, at least she could spend the rest of her life with her son, and perhaps she would get to see her grandchildren grow, that is, if she'd ever become a grandmother. Who knows how things would turn out.

"I'm back." Angela whispered as she came in, holding two cups full of warm tea. She put one down on Ratchet's nightstand. "For you." she whispered to Elisabeth, who gave Angela a thankful smile in return.

"Angela."

"Yes?" Angela replied.

"What... what do you think of my son?"

Angela smiled. "I can't live without him. He's the ground beneath my feet, the fire in my heart, the hand pushing me forward. I love him more than anything, and I hope that'll last forever."

Elisabeth smiled. "Perfect answer. If what you just said was the honest truth, then I can't ask for a better love for my son."

Angela smiled. It was as if a weight that had been crushing her was lifted off her shoulders at last. Angela reached forward and took Ratchet's right hand, and she began to stroke the back of his hand with her thumb. "He looks cute when he's asleep, doesn't he?" Elisabeth whispered.

Angela chuckled. "True. But I love him, no matter if he's awake or asleep. No matter if he's breathing or not. I do and will always love him."

Elisabeth suddenly embraced Angela. "Thank you. Thank you... for taking care of my son."

* * *

Kaden was having the time of his life. He shot down dark ship after dark ship, his opponents not even getting close to landing a hit on him. But that could also be because he was fighting alongside Alister. The two friends had fought back-to-back before, and never had they lost a fight. They watched each other's backs perfectly.

That is, until a small fleet suddenly shot after Alister. Kaden went in pursuit, and began to shoot down the ships chasing Alister, but there were just too many of them.

But then, the air between the dark ships was suddenly filled with static electricity, and suddenly, lightning began to jump between the ships, destroying them.

"Al, what just happened?"

"I don't know what you did, Kay, but keep it up."

"That wasn't me, Al."

"Oh? But, what-"

Suddenly, a figure shot past them. It went too fast for Kaden to really see what it was, but he could've sworn he had just seen a Lombax fly past them.

He looked to where he had seen the Lombax, and sure enough, there was a figure flying around in the distance... shooting lightning at some dark ships?

Kaden flew closer. The figure was clearly a Lombax, male by the looks of it. It was wearing black cargo pants, it's fur was grey with yellow stripes that had a strange lightning bolt pattern.

But what really caught Kaden's attention was that the Lombax could fly. It chased after a few dark ships whilst firing lightning bolts from his hands, something that... well... shocked Kaden. (Author's Note: Get it? Shocked? Okay, okay...)

The figure dropped altitude to avoid some enemy fire before going back in pursuit. Soon enough two ships got too damaged to fly and fell down into the black sludge that always seemed to surround a beacon.

Kaden watched it all with great interest, but Peppy brought him back to reality. "Everybody, stay alert! Something big is approaching!"

Like Peppy had warned, a huge spacecraft came flying into the area. Immediately all dark spacecrafts scattered and began to shield the larger vessel. "That ship must be the beacon, why else would they be so hellbent on taking it down?" Alister thought out loud. "You're probably right. Let's rock!" Simon said, charging into the frey whilst unloading a few electro-mines.

Immediately the entire area got flooded with electricity. Kaden noticed the figure he had seen earlier fly past him, and before Kaden could interfere, it flew straight into the electricity. " _Oh, no..._ "

The figure flew to the place where the amount of electricity reached a maximum. It took a few deep breaths and began to charge up power as the electricity from the mines attempted to electrocute him.

Instead of harming him though, it supercharged him. Simon noticed it all. " _Is that... Zenit? What's he doing here? I'm certain I sent him back to his own reality... Anyhow, the mines seem to supercharge him, what if I..._ "

Simon unloaded all of his mines. The sheer amount of electricity supercharged Zenit even further, beyond what Zenit had thought he could handle.

Zenit's eyes began to glow as he was practically radiating energy. " _Now I know what a thunderstorm feels like._ "

He waited for the large ship to come closer and closer while the 'good' spacecrafts kept the evil ones at bay.

And as the large ship was about to hit Zenit, he summoned all of his electric energy, and forced it into his right arm.

He raised his arm. "ZENIT!"

Zenit punched the dark ship as hard as he possibly could, unleashing all of his energy at once. "PUUUNCH!" (Author's note: guess the reference...)

The dark battlecruiser began to explode spectacularly as it literally got fried by the sheer amount of power. It fell down from the sky, and as it vanished into the dark sea, the darkness began to disappear.

However, suddenly Zenit began to shake. "Oh, snap!" he managed to yelp before he fell from the sky... only to get caught by Aphelion a second later. Kaden closed the cockpit as he began to fly back to the Great Fox.

"What?!" Zenit yelled, looking around. "Who are you?! What are you doing?!"

"Name's Kaden Starlight, and I'm heading back to the main base of operations of the team I'm a part of."

"Let me out!"

"If you wish to return to Katina, we'll drop you off later. First off, I think there are some people who would like to thank you. Do you realize what you've just blown up?"

"Uuh... I didn't even know that planet I was on was called Katina. In fact, I know very little when it comes to my past."

"Oh?" Kaden said with a raised brow. "That's strange. But perhaps one of my good friends can help you."

"That'd be nice. But, eh... who are you guys?"

"Although I'm not an official member of the team, I'm currently flying with the teams Star Fox and Star Falco. Apparently there's some idiot trying to 'corrupt' the planets in this solar system."

"Corruption? Like whatever that stuff back there was?"

"Exactly. But you still haven't given me your name."

"Zenit. Zenit I-don't-know-my-last-name."

Kaden laughed. "Well, you've got humor, I'll give ya that."

"Thanks. Anyhow, where did you say you were returning to?"

"That." Kaden said, pointing at the Great Fox. "Whooooooaaaaa, that thing is huge!" Zenit replied.

"I know, right? Lots of stuff on board. Anyhow, I think there are some people on board who would like to talk to you."

"Who?"

"You'll see soon enough."

* * *

 **Alright, everyone! This chapter, the OC's Nebula AKA Cora Keene and Zenit owned by Jadzia Kira Dax and zenith88 respectively entered the story! Give 'em a warm welcome!**

 **So:**

 **Tiger belongs to TigersEyeTheGemCat**

 **Zenit belongs to zenith88**

 **Cora Keene AKA Nebula belongs to Jadzia Kira Dax**

 **Next up, I think it's likely for the OC's of Zeta warrior 16, Heather and saviour of worlds to show up. As for the other OC's, I'm still trying to puzzle them into the story, I hope you all understand.**

 **Also, I pre-ordered Ratchet & Clank PS4 a long time ago, and the 26th it'll finally be here! I've set up RemotePlay on my computer, so I'll be recording my gameplay. In case you're interested in watching me play, keep an eye on my YouTube channel, which is also named The White Guardian, there is a link at my profile. Also, I received the Bouncer code and... according to my PS4, the code is invalid. Could be because the game hasn't been released here yet so I'll try again later, but if the code doesn't work, then I'm gonna quote Darth Vader here: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**

 **Anyhow, until next time, please review/favorite/follow if you've got some time, and (hopefully) see you in chapter 10!**


	10. Two More Allies

**Phew, I'm finally back! First off, I apologize for being late. I ran into a few difficulties whilst writing this chapter. That, and I kinda got a bit addicted to Ratchet & Clank PS4...**

 **Anyhow, moving on, I'll keep this as short as possible so I can start on the next chapter.**

 **Reviews:**

 **john walaszek1: "** ** _More teammates are joining our heroes onboard the Great Fox. But there is one thing that bothers me beyond the whole planetary corruption across the Lylat System...Would a certain rival mercenary squadron get word on our heroes?_ "  
Well, there are a few more teammates coming up. As for Star Wolf, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait and see...**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I can't wait for more. :)_ "  
Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much.**

 **zenith88: "** ** _Awesome work as always. You just did great work with my oc. See ya next time._ "  
Thank you! And there's more about Zenit coming up. Here's hoping you'll like this chapter just as much.**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _Amazing chapter yet again! It's pretty funny that all Falco was concerned about was TACOS. Tacos taste gold, yes, but seriously Falco, you're so concerned about them that you worried about nothing ELSE!  
P. S. Yeah, I made a reference to Amberdiamondswords.  
P. S. S. Veldanian Lasagna! Sounds yummy!  
P. S. S. S. Photon is so cute! Totally wish I could cuddle with him!_"  
Hahaha! Well, it's Falco alright. I don't suppose we should have expected different.  
P.S. I figured. It's funny seeing a friend being mentioned.  
P.S.S. That's exactly why I gave it that name! That, and because I thought it would be cool if Ratchet knew it from his past.  
P.S.S.S. Photon: *Hides under the table*. Haha, I suppose Photon isn't used to getting so much attention. I understand why you'd want to cuddle him though, but there's more Photon cuteness coming right up!**

 **Heather: "** ** _Awesome chapter as usual! I'll watch your YouTube channel soon, too! I'm so excited for the new Ratchet and Clank game!  
P. S. Photon is pretty cute!_"  
Thank you! As for my YouTube channel, due to errors with recording I've changed the idea. I'll be doing a 'funny moments montage', such as my reaction to 'the sewers'.  
P.S. Well, look at that, Photon! You're getting fans! Photon: *Pokes at the mouse, then stares at it, trying to figure out how it works.***

 **Flowerstar: " _Yesterday (Friday 22nd April), it's Ratchet & Clank vs. Star Fox at the GAME stores and other game stores across the UK (my country) since Ratchet & Clank (PS4) and Star Fox Zero are released on the same day. So I've took my pick. Heck, it's a coincidence you've written a crossover about them. Decision-making wise, Ratchet & Clank (PS4) wins! Though, there's a lot of negative criticism regarding the controls and keeping an eye on the TV screen and the gamepad at the same time concerning Star Fox Zero from the critics and the fans as well as some members from the StreetPass Manchester community. I guess judging by the reviews, Ratchet & Clank trumps Star Fox. If the controls and watching two screens at the same time are THAT frustrating, I guess I might as well get Star Fox 64 3D instead. I haven't played that game either._**

 ** _My Ratchet costume will come through the post in two or three weeks from one of my American deviantART friends. I'm not sure if it will fit me. Normally, children clothes can fit me. Heck, even a child-size bed can fit me! No seriously! A pink bed befitting for a little girl can fit me! I hate being short but I guess being short can have its perks sometimes. The only thing I have in common with Ratchet besides the personality is the height. Though, I'm taller than him by one centimetre. So much for wearing the costume to the cinemas next Friday. I've already booked tickets ages ago, I'm planning to watch Ratchet & Clank Movie with my long-time BFF to celebrate our tenth anniversary of friendship. Here's to another ten years of friendship!_**

 ** _I've noticed throughout the chapters, you keep confusing between "it's" and "its". "it's" is short for "it is" and "its" is if it's belonging to something. It's a common mistake I've seen through the chapters. Not to mention, you've spelled "therefore" wrong. Add the letter "e" at the end of the word, "therefor", and you've spelled it correctly._**

 ** _Despite the minor spelling and grammar errors, I liked the Lylat Wars references you've included in this chapter and I didn't expect Ratchet's mum and dad and Alister to join in the fray!_**

 ** _I don't know why but every time I read this story, I feel like playing Lylat Wars on my Nintendo 64. The Nintendo 64 used to belong to my family but these days, it sits proudly somewhere in my bedroom. I tend to play my Nintendo 64 games every "Throwback Thursday"._**

 ** _Since I... er... accidentally bought two copies of Ratchet & Clank (PS4), I'm thinking of trading in one of the copies for either Star Fox Zero or the latest Mario & Sonic game for the Nintendo 3DS. Or I can sell one of the two aforementioned copies and use the money to buy a birthday present for my mum. Even though I'm not a fan of the Star Fox series, I kinda wanna buy Star Fox Zero 'cause it's a re-imagining of Lylat Wars._**

 ** _Unfortunately, since I've only played Lylat Wars, I don't know, like, half of the Star Fox characters except for Fox, Falco, Slippy and Peppy Hare (Star Fox), James McCloud, General Pepper, Andross, ROB 64 and Star Wolf. Also, I can only vaguely remember Bill. I believe I remember meeting him at a planet whose name have escaped my mind not too long ago. Back then, I didn't come across this planet. The furthest my sister and I got to is Titania or whatever the planet is called. I think it's the second-to-last planet where I had to rescue Slippy Toad. Heck, I don't know, like, half of the planets of the Lylat System either._**

 ** _I'm just wondering, how come you didn't review my previous stories or my recent Croc: Legend of the Gobbos drabble (beware of final world/area spoilers if you're planning on checking out my drabble)? Or do you only read and review Ratchet & Clank fanfictions? Most of the time, I never read and review other people's stories unless they read and review my fanfictions. I felt that's fair._**

 ** _This story just keeps getting more and more exciting with each chapter you write! Despite the spelling and grammar mistakes here and there, it's one of the best fanfictions I've read throughout my 11-year-long fanfiction life being on this website. Please keep it up and I'll eagerly look forward to the next chapter!_ "  
Well, for me Ratchet & Clank PS4 won as well. The improved graphics in Star Fox Zero are nice and all, but in the end, it's basically the same storyline while Ratchet & Clank PS4 is a new adventure. And you're getting a Ratchet costume? That's really, really cool! And I've seen the movie yesterday. The Dutch dub was terrible, but the movie itself was _amazing_. And personally I'm a bit too tall for comfort. I instinctively duck a bit when walking through doors, and when planning our holiday finding a house with a bed large enough for me is always a bit hard. Still, both my parents and my grandfather are large as well, so we're basically always looking for houses with large beds. Still, despite being quite tall, I could fit in a suitcase. A big suitcase though... and although I'm not claustrophobic, the idea makes me nauseous. Anyhow, moving on. I know exactly the difference between 'its' and 'it's', if I ever confused the two, it's a typo, so thank you for pointing that out, I'll check the older chapters for errors. As for therefore (from now on I spell it correctly as you can see), I was not aware of that, so thank you!**

 **As for Bill Grey, I believe he is first introduced on Katina, where the Bulldog and Husky squadrons were being overrun by Venomian forces. And although the only Star Fox game I own so far is Star Fox 3D, I seem to have a knack for piloting arwings, I even managed to complete the 'hard route' (through Zoness, Aquas and Sector Z), although I must say, the hard route really lives up to it's name. And I know the planets of the Lylat system because I'm trying to make a mod for a game that adds the planets from Star Fox, so I had to do quite a lot of research. So far the project is coming along nicely though, and unless something supernatural happens I'll be releasing the first version of the mod soon. And I reviewed the drabble you mentioned not long after reading your review. And thank you for the compliments, I'll surely keep on writing! Enjoy!  
**

* * *

After landing in the hangar of the Great Fox, Kaden walked over to a white Star Explorer, Zenit following him.

As the cockpit opened up, Kaden burst out laughing. Photon was sitting on Simon's head, by the looks of things holding on for dear life. "New hat?" Kaden joked.

Simon glared daggers at him. "Oh, shut up, Kay. Or do I have to remind you of when Alister painted your fur pink in your sleep as payback for one of your pranks?"

Kaden grinned sheepishly. "Yeah... took me weeks to get that stuff out of my fur. Anyhow, this is the man who helped us take down that last attack, on Katina."

Simon finally succeeded in pulling Photon off his head (it went a lot easier after the Human threatened to not give the cat a cookie if he wouldn't let go immediately), and climbed out. He shook Zenit's hand. "Thanks for the help."

" _What is_ _ **he**_ _doing here?!_ " Simon wondered. " _I'm certain I sent him back to his own reality... perhaps he is in this reality as well? Also, how could he fly?_ "

"If I may ask," Simon began, "How can you fly?"

"I can't. It's just... I saw that dark cloud, and I knew that whatever it was, it had to be stopped, but as I approached the cloud, I suddenly felt myself bursting with energy, why I don't know, and I could fly, although I lost both the energy and the ability to fly as the cloud vanished,"

Simon hummed in thought. "Could you follow me for a second?"

* * *

Zenit stepped into a large room in the shape of a cylinder, but he jumped when the door closed behind him. "It's okay, don't worry." Simon's voice came through some sort of speaker system. "Just relax and tell me what you feel."

Simon pressed a few buttons, and began to create a miniature magnetic field inside the room. One of the things he had noticed about the 'corrupted clouds' is that they always seemed to have a strong magnetic field, so Simon replicated the exact same magnetic field, but a miniature version.

Zenit suddenly jumped. "Whoa! I'm. Feeling. Totally. Pumped! I feel like I'm about to burst! Woohoo!"

Zenit began to run so fast that soon he was running over the walls of the room, the centrifugal force generated by how fast he was running being way stronger than the Great Fox' artificial gravity.

"Interesting... can you fly?" Simon asked.

Zenit tried to jump, and indeed, instead of falling back, he kept floating in mid-air. Simon deactivated the magnetic field, and Zenit fell back down. The door opened up again, and Zenit walked out.

"I know what happened." Simon said. "Due to your electric powers, you're positively charged. That dark cloud was generating a negative charge, and due to magnetism, you could fly. You also seem to be able to generate power from strong magnetic fields, so around large planets such as gas giants, which have immense magnetic fields, you'll be bursting with energy."

"Cool and all, but... what's a magnetic field?"

"I'll explain later. For now, it's getting late. You can eat and stay on the ship if you'd like."

"On which terms?"

"Well, we only ask respect for both people and belongings. You may also join us and help stop the darkness threatening to invade this system, but that's up to-"

"I'm in."

"That was fast! Anyhow, in that case, I'll go make you some equipment. As powerful as electricity can be, I don't think it'll help you in space."

"Good point, but, eh... I've got no clue where everything is on this ship."

"Which is why I've made a few maps. I figured they'd come in handy for people like you who don't know the layout of this ship. Here."

Simon gave Zenit a map. "Your quarters is room 352, third deck room 52. Here's the key."

After giving Zenit the key, Simon said goodbye and walked off, heading to his laboratory, Photon still clinging to the Human's leg. Simon rolled his eyes. "Photon, you can let go now. Show 'em your brave side instead of acting like a scared little kitten."

That did it. Photon let go immediately and walked next to the Human instead, head held high in pride. "Better." Simon said. Photon's tail brushed past the Human's leg, meaning 'don't push it, pal.'

* * *

"How is he doing?" Kaden whispered to his wife as he entered the medical bay. "He's asleep." Elisabeth whispered back, who was holding a cup of warm tea. "Medically speaking, he's just fine, just a bit tired." She yawned. "And he's not the only one."

"Shall I move Ratchet to his own room, or do you want to keep him here for the night?"

"Nah, it's better for him to have some good sleep, so his own bed would be optimal."

Kaden nodded. He walked over to his sleeping son, and carefully picked him up. He walked all the way to Ratchet and Angela's room, but since he had no free hands, he knocked at the door with his foot rather than his hand. Half a minute later a sleepy looking Angela opened up. "I hope I didn't woke you up, but... express delivery." Kaden whispered.

Angela smiled, and stepped aside so Kaden could walk in. Angela moved aside the sheets of the bed so Kaden could lay Ratchet down, before Angela tucked Ratchet in.

"Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm gonna go to my own bed." Kaden whispered. Angela nodded. "Good night."

"Thanks, good night to you too."

* * *

Simon glanced at the clock as he was working on a special piece of armour. "Almost eleven P.M." the Human muttered. Photon was lying on the far side of his workbench, tiredly watching the Human work. "You know, if you're sleepy, then why don't you go take a nap?" Simon said to his friend. Photon shook his head, and kept watching.

Simon rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Stubborn little one."

Photon frowned, as if he was saying "I'm not a little one!" before walking forward and tapping Simon on the nose with his right paw. Simon laughed again. "It's strange, although you have no voice you seem to have no trouble in letting me know what you want. You really are a smart one, Photon."

The cat nodded, as if to say 'and you know it'. Simon kept working for another hour, before Photon suddenly snatched Simon's hammer from his hands. "Photon! Give that back!"

The cat shook his head, and held the hammer away from the Human with his tail. Photon nodded towards the door, then tilted it's head, meaning 'go to sleep'.

"Photon, I can't stop now. Give me back my hammer."

Photon shook his head.

"Photon!"

Photon shook his head again.

Simon suddenly laughed. "It's funny, you're looking after me. Well... I guess you're right. It's pretty late and if darkness decides to strike again tomorrow I need to be awake."

Photon nodded again, grinning in satisfaction. Photon dropped the hammer and jumped onto Simon's shoulders. Simon laughed. "Alright, alright, I'll carry you. Dang, you're lazy."

Photon began to drum on Simon's head. "Photon, please stop, you're giving me a headache."

Photon stopped immediately. The last thing he wanted to do was hurting his friend.

Simon began to walk, out the door, through the hallways and into his own room. He put Photon down on the bed, before he walked into the bathroom.

Simon came back out a few minutes later, teeth brushed and wearing his nightwear, a shirt and pants with a star pattern, the shirt having an image of Earth on it. Simon lay down on his bed and pulled the blankets over him before closing his eyes. He opened them up again though when he felt something heavy lying down on top of him. "Photon, please, no."

The cat grinned before moving over to the far side of the bed, curling up, and falling asleep. Simon shook his head. "One crazy cat indeed."

* * *

The next morning was strange to say the least. Everyone aboard the Great Fox was in the lunch room, eating breakfast, when the alarms went off. Five minutes later four team members left the Great Fox, team Star Falco, to wipe out a nearby group of pirates picking on a lone Cornerian transport craft.

Before they could open fire, however, three of the ships suddenly exploded. A beautiful black starfighter flew into the battle. It had wings with rocket launchers and extra boosters mounted on them, and a spacious cockpit providing an excellent view of space.

The black ship opened fire and immediately the other pirate ships exploded. But then the ship turned to team Star Falco, weapons already reloading. "Everyone, evasive maneuvers. I've got a gut feeling this guy isn't our enemy." Falco said.

The ship flew after Katt. Bad move. Immediately the four Cornerian ships encircled the black ship and captured it in a tractor beam net. The ship reached out to the four Cornerian ships. "Let me go, pirate scum!"

"Pirates? We're not pirates, pal." Katt said. "We were actually there to help that Cornerian transport."

"I won't fall for that! You are four soldiers gone AWOL, otherwise you would have opened fire!"

"We were about to open fire when some of the ships suddenly exploded, did you really think we'd start firing?" Dash growled.

"Let's just take this guy to the Great Fox. We'll talk there."

"Wait, Great Fox?"

"Yeah, the Great Fox, what's it to ya?"

"You... you're with team Star Fox?"

"No, we're team Star Falco, although we're currently teaming up with Star Fox."

"Star Falco... I apologize for the misunderstanding."

"Well, no matter what, you're coming with us."

A few minutes later they landed in the Great Fox, where Fox and Simon were waiting. The cockpit of the black ship opened up, and...

A female Cazar came climbing out. She had grey fur with gold stripes, and her hair was auburn, and worn in a French braid. Her eyes were blueish-grey, and she had a scar over her left eye. She was wearing Ectoflux armour, and stood up straight with military discipline.

Simon approached her. "A Cazar? What are you doing here in Lylat?"

"You are not part of Star Fox. Identify yourself please."

"Oh, of course. I'm Simon Polaris, the inventor of Nanotech, the designer of Megacorp's successful Star Explorers, and I have sworn to protect the universe and life itself until my last breath."

The Cazar nodded. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Polaris. My name is Hanna Eris, I'm with the Cassiopeian defense force."

"The Cassiopeian Galaxy, a sattelite galaxy of the Polaris galaxy?"

"Yeah, why?"

Simon laughed. "Well, on my home planet, that galaxy is known as the 'Large Magellanic Cloud', and Polaris, Solana and Bogon are known as the Milky Way, Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies respectively. Also, please call me Simon."

"Huh. Alright, Mr. Pola- erm, Simon. What's your business here?"

"I'm currently working with the teams Star Fox and Star Falco to protect Lylat, and if we don't hurry the whole universe from some sort of strange 'corrupting'. You see, some evil imbecile going by the name of Black Hole is trying to... well... 'corrupt' every world in the universe, starting with Lylat. He's somewhere in this system, and we have to stop him before he regains the power to go interstellar."

"Oh."

"And why are you here?"

"That's really personal, sorry."

Simon grinned. "Time for some deducing. If you are with the Cassiopeian defense force, then why would you be in Lylat? Surely you're not here to defend the system, Lylat is not very well known, far from being well known in fact, which has become a curse to the system, because there'll be little help from the galactic governments when it comes to taking out the pirates. My guess is you're looking for something."

Hanna looked away. "I won't tell you."

"Please, this quest to stop the darkness takes us to every corner of the Lylat system. We can help with finding what you seek, but we cannot search if we do not know what you are looking for."

Hanna frowned and bit her lip. Then she sighed. "When I was about eight, a mad scientist by the name of Doctor Nefarious attacked Aleero City, otherwise known as Metropolis, on planet Kerwan, with the goal of turning every organic lifeform into a robot. I was lucky that I was at the pool when that happened, water blocks radiation perfectly. Anyhow, I had no idea of the chaos outside, and thus when I went outside, I found myself in a ruined city, the streets covered in chaos. Thankfully some smuggler found and hid me before Nefarious' troops could find me.

However, about a month after Nefarious' attack, when I came home, my parents were gone. I began to search the city, and coincidentally ran into the smuggler that hid me from Nefarious' troops. I traveled with him for a few years, until I went on my own journey to find my parents. My parent's disappearance is rumored to have something to do with the Zoni, and I'm currently looking for a Fulcrum Star because it might give me a clue as to what happened."

"I'm sorry about what happened. I can promise you though that as soon as I pick up a signal coming from a Fulcrum Star, I'll let you know."

"Thank you. And don't blame yourself for what happened to me, it's not like you could've done someting."

Simon frowned. " _But I could have done something..._ "

* * *

Falco was relaxing on the bridge of the Great Fox, lazily staring out into space. But then he noticed a glistering in the distance. He grabbed a microphone. "We've got company!"

Immediately most of the people on the Great Fox came running in. By that time it had become clear that a large pirate ship was making it's way to the Great Fox.

Fox was about to open his mouth... when the pirate ship suddenly exploded spectacularly. The shockwave made the Great Fox tremble for a second, knocking some people off their feet. As they stared out the window in shock and confusion, something suddenly slammed against the window.

It was a robot. The robot stared at the heroes, and the heroes stared back. Then the robot burst into hysterical laughter. "What's up, doc?"

The robot was wearing a bulky green bomb-proof assault vest, and while he had an outer layer of solid Trillium, he had a lower layer of orange colored Titanium. His head was a hologram, and he had a grenade launcher for a right hand. Five minutes later Zenit had pulled him in, Zenit's new armour doing an excellent job at protecting him from the radiation and vacuum of space. After being brought on board, the robot began to pull on his right hand. The grenade launcher began to rotate before coming off the robot's arm. At everyone's weird stares, he clarified "Modular arms. I can also grab a minigun."

Simon frowned. "As... unusual as that is, what were you doing on board a pirate ship?"

The robot burst out laughing. "Why, blow it up of course! You know, there's no sound better than 'kaboom'."

"Did you happen to pick up anything whilst inside?"

"Depends. I did hear them talking about attacking this ship. That is, if they were still in one piece they would have tried to attack this ship. What are you guys doing anyway?"

"We're on a mission to protect this solar system." Falco said. "I'm in." the robot said immediately.

"No. You can't just 'join'." Simon said.

"I'm in."

"You're not."

The robot suddenly stepped forward with a grin. "Son, I'll keep stalking you with mah explosives until you let me join."

Simon frowned. "Pal, I'm way more dangerous than all of your bombs put together. And I refuse to let someone join who is so addicted to blowing stuff up. The last thing we need is a loose cannon."

"It's true I absolutely _love_ to blow stuff up, but I only blow up bad guys. People who _deserve_ a good 'boom', y'know?"

Simon sighed. "Maybe. You'll have to prove yourself though."

* * *

"Alright, initiating phase one. Good luck." Simon said. Two holographical pirates appeared. The robot laughed, swapped his right hand for a minigun and riddled the two holograms with bullets.

"Phase one complete, starting phase two."

The robot kept destroying everything Simon made appear in the arena with ease, even when Simon sent in a hologram of a tank. "Alright, you passed with flying colours. You're in."

The robot laughed. "Like there was ever any doubt."

"Yes, there was. And what's your name?"

The robot laughed even harder. "Now you, you can call me, Ann-Marie! But only if you like exploding. If not, then call me Bob, Bob Dynamite. I ask you, is there any name more perfect than Bob?"

"Perhaps." Simon said with a shrug and a roll of his eyes. "Anyhow, you got a ship?"

"A ship? Now why in the world would I need a boat?"

"No, a spaceship."

"A boat with stars on it? I still don't see the importance."

"A vehicle that helps you travel through space?"

"But why would I need that? I got a jetpack!"

"Jetpack?"

"Yeah! Miniature bombs that send me flying, isn't it fantastic?"

"As long as you don't blow up any good guys, or anything on this ship..."

"Aww, can't I even blow up the trash can on deck 5?"

"No."

The robot grabbed a button from his belt and pressed it. "Too late."

"Did you just-"

"No, no, of course I wouldn't damage the ship! I only damaged that stupid trash can... I swear, he asked for it!"

"How can a trash can-"

"You can stop trying to make sense of what I'm saying, not even I can make sense of what I'm saying. And what I just said was surprisingly sane..."

"Well... where are you from anyway?"

Bob's smile faded. "I don't talk about that, chief."

"No? Why not?"

"Because thanks to me a race is dead, that's why. And no, I didn't blow 'em up, the problem is that I didn't blow up the enemies like I was supposed to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I was designed to protect. I had one job, and I failed it. I failed an entire civilization. And now they're dead. And since then I've become addicted to blowing stuff sky high."

"You mean a trauma turned you into what you are now?"

"A what?"

"Trauma, a traumatic experience in your past made you lose your mind?"

"I still don't get it, little mortal. How can I have lost a mind I never had?"

"Sane moment's over I guess. Perhaps I should take a look at your processor. Could you come here for a second?"

Then ROB's voice came through the intercom. "A-TEN-TION! DINNER IS READY! TODAY EQUALS TACO DAY! YAAY!"

"Processor check? Ain't nobody got time for that! Taco's!" Bob yelled as he ran out the room.

Simon shook his head. "Falco really needs to stop trying to 'improve' ROB."

* * *

 **Alright, there we go, more OC's introduced! Meet Bob Dynamite and Hanna Eris, the OC's of saviour of worlds and Heather respectively.**

 **So, the list of OC's:**

 **Tiger - TigersEyeTheGemCat**

 **Bob Dynamite - saviour of worlds**

 **Hanna Eris - Heather**

 **Cora Keene - Jadzia Kira Dax**

 **Zenit - zenith88**

 **And one last thing I forgot to mention in the last chapter, my good friend TigersEyeTheGemCat has made several drawings of Photon, as well as a really cute drawing of Simon holding a very young Photon (and by very young I mean only a few weeks old). DeviantArt artist Airbax has also made an amazing drawing of Simon wielding his sword, Final Eclipse, which is also more than worth checking out.**

 **Anyhow, I plan on some more feels in the next chapter, followed by funny moments, so... be cautious, everyone!**

 **And last but not least, Max Chronicle, the character I thought you were going to like is Bob Dynamite, a crazy demolition expert, although he has a heart of gold. In case anyone is wondering how crazy, saviour of worlds told me to take some inspiration from the Joker, save for the killing innocent people part of the Joker of course.**


	11. Simon's Sacrifice

**Alright, I'm back! I'm on a trip to Germany though, so that's why this chapter is a bit late, I spent yesterday en route. Anyhow, I hope you all enjoy the next chapter of Epilogue 2... right after I have replied to the reviews.  
**

 **Zeta warrior 16: "** ** _I don't mind that the chapter is late as long as it's not a year late. Also I can't wait to find out how you're gonna bring in my oc.  
Great job_"  
Well, your OC is going to make a spectacular entry, that's for sure! Thank you, and enjoy!**

 **john walaszek 1: "** ** _Now we have a demolition-happy robot on the Great Fox. The team is expanding as we speak, Star Fox, Star Falco, Ratchet and the Lombaxs...and then there's the others that joined the team. Who would want to tangle with this group? (That was a stupid question)_ "  
Well... Black Hole in a nutshell: a psychopatic maniac with no respect for anything and anyone, who lives only for death and destruction. And the worst part is that he has incredible powers. So even for an entire army of heroes the chances of victory are slim.**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _I loved this chapter. I can't wait to read more. :)_ "  
Thank you! And wait no more, the next chapter is here!**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Well, some more recruitment. Yeah, I do like Bob, no wait, Ann-Marie. (I really like blowing stuff up.)  
"You can stop trying to make sense of what I'm saying, not even I can make sense of what I'm saying. And what I just said was surprisingly sane..." Classic LOL.  
Anyway, the team is growing by the second, and to be frank, I really don't see how Black Hole is going to be able to take them down. (But, heck, it'll be fun to see how close he gets.)  
Also, I like the idea for the next chapter...Funny Feels.  
Plus, just checked out the Deviantart artwork...beeping shiz. Simply shiz-worthy.  
Max out.  
"TACOS!"_"  
Heh, well, if there's anyone crazy, it'd be Bob. And don't forget, this _is_ Black Hole we're talking about, basically an evil version of Hypernova. And I've changed the content of the chapter a bit, the 'feels' part has been reduced. Nevertheless, some good feels moments. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _I love this so far and Bob Dynamite is pretty hilarious! And I agree, there's no sound like 'kaboom'!... Well, except for music...  
P. S. 'Don't push it'! That was perfect! Photon is so adorable and I love the way he interacts with Simon, it's so cute! :)_"  
Can't agree with you more, nothing beats music. Sorry, Bob... Anyhow, moving on, you find Bob hilarious already? Well, he's only just beginning... Anyhow, enjoy!  
P.S. Photon says thank you!**

 **Heather: "** _ **As usual, fabulous and hilarious chapter! I can totally imagine Photon batting Simon's nose with his paw! And Bob Dynamite is pretty hilarious as well!  
P. S. OC is portrayed to perfection!  
P. S. S. I'll watch for videos  
**_ ** _I forgot to add that I love Zenit's personality as well!_  
 _P. S. I meant to say I'd be watching for those 'funny moments montage' things, not videos. Sorry about that._ "  
Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much.  
P.S. I'm glad I got her personality correct. She isn't in this chapter though, I'm afraid, but expect her to appear again next chapter.  
P.S.S. Unfortunately my PS4 seems to love messing up the videos I record. So far I only have two working videos out of the 15GB of data I recorded, and sadly, the clip I wanted to show most is among the lost data. Needless to say I'll figure something out, but it's going to take much more time than I initially thought. Therefore I'll leave a note in a chapter when I've uploaded the video at last. Thank you for your patience, and I'm sorry for having to make you wait a bit longer. Although one of the two clips that I do have working properly is one in which the final boss fight crashes spectacularly. Speaking of crashes, I've notified Insomniac about various bugs in the game, from the aforementioned issue in the boss fight to non-solid platforms on Pokitaru that make the O2 mask unobtainable, or an invisible wall on Kalebo III that shouldn't be there and makes one of the gold bolts unobtainable. Thankfully the non-solid platforms on Pokitaru fixed themselves upon respawn (although I find it annoying that I had to kill Ratchet in order to continue) and thankfully the insta-kill wall vanishes after completing the main quest, although it never should've appeared in the first place, but that aside.  
**

* * *

Everyone (excluding Ratchet, Angela, Fox, ROB, Bob, Simon and Photon) was in the canteen, eating their dinner (taco's, thanks to Falco's... 'improvements' to the menu). Suddenly, a metal boot kicked open the door, and a familiar green-orange warbot came jumping in, wearing a large sombrero. "HEEE-YAW!"

Five people choked on their food in surprise. "The fuck?!" Falco managed to stammer. Bob danced into the room. "TACO'S! WOOO!"

Simon came in after him, shaking his head. Photon was sitting on Simon's shoulders, per usual. "Bob, for a new teammate you seem surprisingly eager to scare the living daylights out of the rest of the team."

"The heck?! **He** is our new teammate?!" Falco cried out. "That maniac?"

"Falco, respect your allies please. The last thing we need is a war among ourselves."

"But he's insane! You can't possibly have let him join us!"

Bob suddenly stopped dancing and sneaked over to Falco. "Hey birdie, you'd better stop insulting me, or you'll wake up one day with a nuclear warhead shoved up your behind. Clear?"

Falco got up. "Are you threatening me?"

"Depends on if you're stupid enough to continue. Judging by what I've seen, I'd say you're more than stupid enough."

"Says who, you lunatic?!"

"Falco, if I'd want to kill myself all I'd have to do is drop down from your ego to your IQ. Nobody will survive that fall."

"ENOUGH, YOU TWO!" Simon suddenly roared. "WE'VE GOT THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE ON OUR SHOULDERS HERE! COUNTLESS PEOPLE ARE DEPENDING ON US! GET SERIOUS!"

"Yeah, Bob, get serious." Falco said with a shrug as he took another bite of his taco. Bob stayed silent. "No more talk? 'Kay then." Falco said. But then Falco went silent himself. He slowly turned red before he suddenly dropped his taco and ran towards the sink. Bob needed quite a lot of processor power to not burst into laughter as he hid a bottle of super hot sauce behind his back.

"There's something that bothers me." Katt suddenly said. "We're growing in numbers pretty quickly, but even the eight of us, you and those two Lombaxes plus Fox and team Star Falco, were more than capable of dealing with the 'corruption'. But now there is absolutely no chance for the darkness. I wonder how... whatever our enemy was named will respond to this."

Simon frowned. "Good point. Let's hope he's stupid enough to not notice that."

Angela came walking in. "Simon?"

"Yes?"

"Could you come with me for a sec?"

"Certainly." Simon said. He let Photon step down from his shoulders. "Photon, you keep an eye out here, no more arguments please."

The cat nodded solemnly. "Alright then." Simon said as he walked after Angela. To his surprise, Angela led him to a hallway in the back of Engineering, which was completely deserted at this hour. "Angela, where are we going?"

"Nowhere, I just wanted to ask you something in private." Angela said, stopping.

"Well, ask all you want."

"Well, I... you brought Ratchet's parents back, but... And I, too, would like to..."

"You wonder why I haven't brought back your parents even though I knew you wanted your parents back just as much as Ratchet wanted his parents back?"

"Well... yes. Did I do something wrong?"

Simon sighed, and leaned against the wall. "No. I did."

"Huh?"

"I did something wrong. I should have told you earlier."

"Tell me what earlier?"

"Your mother, she... well... remember how I found you after you had seen her dying in front of you?"

"Uh... I wasn't really paying that much attention to myself to be honest, I was more focused on her."

"I understand, but do you remember what I said?"

"Uh... you said that..."

"Although the ones we love may not be around us physically, someone you truly love will never ever leave your side. And nothing can change that. That's what I said."

"I remember, but why do you bring that up? I don't see the relevance."

"Well... your mother... before I continue, what I'm about to say is entirely true. Of course, it's up to you to jump to your own conclusions, as long as you know that what I am about to say is-"

"Just get to it, dammit! This is my mother we're talking about!" Angela said, losing her patience.

"Right, right. Sorry. Anyhow, your mother, she's not dead. Never was."

"What?!"

"I managed to save her, but... I was too late. She's alive, but she's in coma."

"Oh..." Angela said. She sat down on the floor and just stared at the wall, trying to process what she had just heard. Her mother was alive? All this time?

"But what about my father?" Angela asked.

"Well... I've tried to track him down, but so far my efforts were fruitless. I'm still looking for him, and when I find him, I swear to you right now, I'll violate every law of both nature and physics if necessary to bring him back."

Angela suddenly got up and hugged him. "Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you for not forgetting me."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought that you had forgotten me."

"Of course I wouldn't forget you, silly!"

"I should have known. And I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"There is one last question bothering me."

"What is it?"

"How can it be that you still look exactly as you did when we first met, on Grelbin that fateful evening, remember? Is your race immortal or something?"

"No, my race ages, just like nearly every other race. In fact, Lombaxes live three times as long as most Humans, Lombaxes live up to approximately three hundred years."

"But I'm not even past fifty!"

"That means you still have a very, very long life ahead of you. But I haven't answered your question, have I?"

"No."

"Well, I... 'immortalized' myself. I altered my body in many ways, for instance even if you'd cut off my limbs they'd grow back in time, just give me a few months. I've made my immune system perfect: my body repairs itself so efficiently that I live forever."

"But why would you want to live forever?"

"Simple, it's my duty. It's my duty to look over not only this universe, but every universe that is, was, or ever will be, for eternity."

"Your duty?"

"I made it my duty."

"But why would you do that, build your entire life around one goal? Because the way you describe your life, it all seems so pointless. Wake up, defend the universe, go back to sleep, day in day out for eternity."

"Perhaps my life is pointless, yes, I've considered my life pointless many times. But then I remember what I'm doing it for: I sacrifice myself so that everyone, and I mean everyone, no matter where or when, can live out their lives. Isn't that a noble goal?"

"But... that's impossible."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is. If you want everyone to have a happy life, you will never achieve your goal. Because 'everyone' includes you. It's not fair that you should have to suffer for everybody else."

"Perhaps it's not fair, but it's who I am. I carry that burden out of love for everybody else."

"Simon, get over to the bridge, there's something you need to see!" Fox' voice came through Simon's watch. Angela frowned. "Could he just hear our entire conversation?"

"No. That was a message."

"Alright. Well, you go see what's up, I'm going back to Ratchet. I'll have to make sure he stays out of trouble for the time being."

"Alright, good luck with that."

Simon made his way to the bridge. Fox wasn't there. "Fox, come in. I'm at the bridge, where are you?" Simon sent Fox through his SmartWatch.

"Out here, don't you see my Arwing?"

"No, I think I missed that one. Nevertheless, what's the problem? Is yet another planet under attack?"

"No, but something just as unsettling. ROB detected a body hovering around not too far from the Great Fox, I'm currently en route to pick him or her up. According to the bioscan, it is a Lombax."

"A Lombax? Why would there be a Lombax drifting through space?"

"I dunno, but I just found her. And yeah, I did just confirm their gender. Female."

Fox flew closer. "Hey, can you hear me!"

The woman did not respond, or even move for that matter. "Simon, she's unconscious!"

"Grab her with your ship's tractor beam and get over here, and fast!" Simon said as he ran towards the medical bay at full speed where he found Elisabeth eating a tuna sandwich as she watched the news. "Beth, we've got an unconscious Lombax coming in!"

Elisabeth jumped up and prepared a bed immediately. "How bad?"

"Drifting in space unconscious, I'd say pretty bad."

"Drifting in space!? Oh my god! Get that Lombax over here, fast!"

"It's a she, in case you were wondering. Fox is bringing her in as we speak." Simon said as he ran out the door and to the hangar. He met Fox halfway, who was running to the medical bay, the unconscious Lombax in his arms. He laid her down on the bed, and Elisabeth wasted no time in analyzing the situation.

The Lombax had white fur and long white hair. She was wearing a pilot's suit similar to the one Ratchet owned, although her pilot's suit was purple. She was wearing a helmet with a golden visor, but although her armour protected her from the vacuum of space, Simon noticed what was wrong straight away.

"Her suit isn't generating a magnetic field!"

"So?" Fox asked.

"So, she has been exposed to dangerous levels of solar radiation! We need to act quickly, or she's done for!"

Elisabeth got to work immediately, but she instructed Fox to leave, since Fox had no medical knowledge, and thus he would only end up getting in the way, no matter how much he wanted to help.

For what seemed like hours Simon handed Elisabeth everything she asked for, but his heart froze when Elisabeth suddenly got up. "There's nothing I can do. It's too late. I'm sorry."

Simon's eyes filled with determination. "No, it's never too late."

Simon raised his right arm, and a reddish mist shot out of the palm of his right hand. It swirled down to the dying Lombax before disappearing as it touched her face. "What in the world..." Elisabeth whispered, watching the spectacle.

"I'm giving her my life energy."

"You are giving her what now?"

"My life energy. She'll live, but I'll feel quite sick for a few days. But if that's what it takes to save a life, then so be it."

Suddenly, Simon collapsed with a groan. Elisabeth was quick to catch him. "You have to stop!"

"I can't, just a tiny... bit... more..."

"No, you're dying yourself!"

"Nonsense!"

"Look at yourself! You can't even stand anymore!"

"I don't need to stand!"

Suddenly, the Lombax woke up. Her eyes shot open and she sat up straight with a loud gasp.

"Nailed it." Simon groaned before he lost consciousness. The white-furred Lombax stared at him. "What just happened?"

* * *

Fox carefully carried Simon to his room and carefully tucked him in. He then searched for Photon, and informed the cat of his best friend's fate. Photon ran to Simon's room immediately, and the second he reached the slumbering Human, he refused to leave his side. "You really are a loyal friend, Photon. I respect that. I only hope you don't end up getting sick yourself if you don't eat."

Photon nodded.

* * *

Ratchet yawned. "What time is it?"

"Ten P.M, ergo time to hit the hay." Angela replied as she turned off the TV at the far side of their bed. She snuggled up to Ratchet. "How are you feeling now?"

"Fine. Tired, but I'm okay."

Angela smiled. "You know, I can't wait to start a life together."

"Well, I can wait."

"What do you mean?"

"I just... I'm afraid that we're going too fast, you know?"

"I don't see the problem, I love you, and you love me... right?"

"Of course I love you! I'm just a bit afraid of taking the next steps too fast. I'd rather take it nice and easy. Of course I can't wait to start living together, but I'm just too afraid that we'll end up breaking what we have now."

Angela laughed and kissed him. "You know, that you don't want to wait but are willing to wait so you don't lose me shows that you're ready."

"You think?"

"Ratchet, we'll make it. No matter what could happen between us, I love you, and I can't live without you anymore. Do you think I won't be careful?"

Ratchet sighed. "You know?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Angela smiled. "Goodnight, Ratchet."

Ratchet gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Angela."

They fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

"Good morning, Angela." Ratchet said as he saw her eyes open. Angela yawned. "Good morning."

"Have you slept well?"

"Yes! No nightmares, thank goodness. It bothers me though, the nightmares are absent and no planet has been attacked in a while, it is as if Black Hole is building up energy for something. And whatever it is, it can't be good. Anyhow, yes, I've slept well, how about you?"

"Couldn't have slept better. After all, you were with me."

Angela laughed and hugged him.

"You know what?" Ratchet said.

"What is it?"

"When this is over, I wanna go on a vacation together. Some time off."

"That'd be wonderful."

"Any requests for breakfast?" Ratchet asked as he attempted to get back up, but he was quickly pushed back down. "Let me. You need to rest."

"I've had enough rest."

"Well, in that case..." Angela began as she moved closer to him. "How about we make breakfast together?"

"Excellent idea." Ratchet said as he got up. Angela walked into the bathroom and while she changed her clothing, Ratchet grabbed a pan and some bacon. When Angela was done, the bacon was ready, and after eating, it was Ratchet's turn to change his clothing, so when he walked into the bathroom, Angela began to make two sandwiches.

"Here." she said when Ratchet came out of the bathroom. She handed him his sandwich. Ratchet took a bite of it. "It's delicious! What's on it?"

"Bacon, a boiled egg, and salad."

"It's amazing!"

"I know, right?"

* * *

"Here he is." Elisabeth said as she opened the door to Simon's room. Simon was awake, and watched as Elisabeth and the white Lombax he had saved earlier walked into the room. "How are you?" Elisabeth asked.

"I'm fine. Just a bit nauseous, but I'm still breathing, and you bet that, soon, I'll be charging back into the battle against evil."

"That's the spirit. I've got someone who'd like to talk to you with me though."

Simon nodded. He turned to the white Lombax. "Ask ahead. Allow me to ask you something though: who are you?"

She smiled. "I'm Sam. And thank you."

"Sam? Odd name for a female, or is it short for-"

"Samantha, yes. My full name is Samantha Lilith Starlight."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Simon, Simon Polaris."

"Well, thank you. I owe you my life."

"Ah, no big deal. Trillions and trillions of people owe me their lives. Almost the entire Lombax race, for instance."

"What do you mean? The Lombax species is nearly extinct..."

"It isn't nearly extinct and never was. You see, ages ago, a vile Cragmite by the name of Percival Tachyon killed over 70% of the entire Lombax population in this universe, the survivors fled to another dimension. Or so he thought. In fact, just before a Lombax would die during the attack, I would freeze time, get the Lombax out of there, and leave a lifeless decoy behind. A decoy that was so realistic, even the DNA was identical. Tachyon thought he had killed many Lombaxes, but he had killed none. I kept the Lombaxes hidden and in coma though, I kept them hidden from Tachyon and I kept them in coma so that they wouldn't have to wait for ages for the right moment, the time to return. And then, not long ago, that time came. The once inhabited and thriving world of Fastoon, the Lombax homeworld, had become a desert wasteland covered in ruins, reminders of the people who once lived there.

And then, one good night, those people returned. A few days earlier I had moved the planet the survivors of the attack had fled to, nowadays it orbits Fastoon as a moon. The surviving Lombaxes on New Fastoon had a perfect view of their old homeworld as it suddenly lit up one night. Buildings rebuilt themselves, and suddenly, in countless flashes of light, every Lombax that was presumed to have been killed during the attack returned. Nowadays Fastoon is no longer covered in ruins, a golden dead desert world, but instead it is a true paradise. It's oceans have returned, and the continents are covered with beauty: from beautiful forests to breathtaking mountains. By far my favorite place is a place I've discovered myself, one that I have named 'Tranquility's Center'.

Tranquility's Center lies on a remote island in the middle of Fastoon's ocean, a roughly circular formation of beautiful mountains with a vast, crystal clear lake in the middle. During the winter, it snows on the mountains, and because it's so cold up there, the snow stays, even during the summer. This snow melts ever so slightly, coming down the mountains in the form of several beautiful waterfalls.

Anyhow, among the once again breathtaking terrain stands Save Haven City, a vast and elegant metropolis, indeed a save haven for the Lombaxes, since only those who mean no harm to the Lombaxes can ever find it, I made sure of that."

"So... the Lombaxes are back?"

"Correct."

"And you were responsible?"

"Yes, although for the survival of the 30% that survived the initial attack, there are a few other people you need to thank."

Samantha sat down on the bed. "Wow, that's... a lot to process."

"That is understandable."

At that moment Photon woke up. The cat shook his head. "Photon, shouldn't you go eat something?" Elisabeth asked. The cat shook it's head.

"Photon can eat, yes, but it's not necessary for him to survive. He can get the energy he needs to live from various sources, such as every type of light: from x-ray to gamma-ray. And since infrared is also a form of light, he can power himself just by being around people. Thank goodness he isn't an introvert, huh, Photon?"

Photon shook his head. "Although Photon doesn't need to eat, it doesn't mean that he can't eat. He especially loves chocolate chip cookies for some reason."

Photon immediately turned to Elisabeth and stared at her with puppy dog eyes. Everyone laughed. "He's cute." Samantha said as she petted Photon's head. Photon purred and rubbed his cheek against her arm. "He likes you." Simon said.

Samantha laughed. "Anyhow, thank you for saving my life."

"No problem."

Simon's watch, which was lying on his nightstand, beeped. Simon grabbed the device and stared at the display for a moment. "Oh, no."

"What's the matter?" Samantha and Elisabeth asked in unison.

Simon attempted to get up. "I have to help!"

Elisabeth pushed him back down. "No. You need to rest, and you're going to rest, even if I have to glue you to that bed. Photon, help me, please. You know that he needs some rest."

Photon nodded and lay down on Simon's chest. "Photon, get off me." Simon said. Photon shook his head.

"If I may ask, what's the issue?"

"Not one, but _two_ planets are under attack. You don't understand, I have to help!"

"No." Elisabeth said with a stern glare. "You need to rest. Let us handle this. We're all professionals."

"Can I help?" Sam asked.

"Sure. Do you have a ship? Now that I think of it, what were you doing on that pirate ship anyway?"

"Pirate ship? That was no pirate ship."

"What? Whose ship was that then?" Simon asked.

"It belonged to a bounty hunter named Kursed. It used to be a pirate ship, but she hired the pirates to hunt down every Lombax in the system, hence why I ended up on board. I was leaving Titania behind after refueling when my ship was suddenly being attacked. My ship was destroyed and I was imprisoned on board. Thank goodness some robot blew up the ship's power core, so the laser cage imprisoning me deactivated, so I got out of there. I didn't think that robot had seen me though, but hey, I was the only prisoner on board, the chance of him running into the only prisoner was quite small."

"Well, you got lucky to get out of there alive. You can use my ship if you'd like, do you think you can control a Star Explorer?" Simon said.

"I had a Star Explorer once, I'll be alright. Besides, I've got a small army with me."

"True. Good luck."

* * *

"Alright, team! Planets Aquas and Sauria are under attack, Team Alpha is going to Aquas, team Beta is going to Sauria. Team Alpha consists of team Star Falco, Bill and Fay, Slippy and Amanda, Zenit, Hanna and Tiger. Team Beta consists of Peppy and Lucy, me, Ratchet and Angela, Kaden, Alister, Sam, Nebula and Bob. Alright, team, we've got two planets relying on us, let's rock!" Fox said.

"May I blow stuff up?" Bob asked, who was using a jetpack to fly.

"Only bad guys, Bob." Fox said, rolling his eyes.

"Woohoo!" Bob said as he sped off towards Aquas. "Wrong planet, Bob!" Fox warned.

"Whoops!" Bob said as he turned towards Sauria. "Sorry!"

Kaden flew next to his son, piloting a spare Arwing. "Hey, Ratchet."

"Yeah, dad?"

"You know... I've always dreamed of flying together with you."

"Well, let's fly then, dad." Ratchet replied.

"I can't wait." Kaden replied.

Alister came flying over to Ratchet, Kaden and Angela. He called Ratchet on a private line. "Ratchet?"

"Yeah, Alister?"

"Well... I'm sorry about what happened at the clock, and if you don't like the thought of fighting alongside me, I understand."

"General-"

"Just call me Alister, please. You've earned my respect, and thus you've earned the privilege of calling me by my first name. Rules of the Lombax Praetorian Guard, although you never really had to call me 'general'. I would never have minded if you had called me by my first name."

"Alright. Well, Alister, you were confused at the clock. For years you had focused on undoing the mistakes you made. I don't blame you. I blame Tachyon. Gene- erm, I mean Alister, it'd be an honor to fight alongside you again."

Alister sighed. "You don't know how much weight you just lifted off my shoulders. Thank you, Ratchet."

* * *

 **Yikes, Simon's down, and just when Black Hole is stepping up his game. What will happen next? Will they be able to save the planets? Find out in the next chapter of Epilogue 2: Together We Stand.  
**


	12. Rise of Darkness

**Whoo, I'm back! I wasn't feeling well yesterday (and I still feel a bit off today) so I had plenty of time to write. In fact, I finished both this chapter and chapter 13, so I'm building up a small stockpile of chapters. Anyhow, like I said, I'm not feeling well, so I'm too tired for long author's notes. Therefore I'll skip to the reviews.**

 **john walaszek1: "** ** _Black Hole is stepping up his game spreading corruption to Aquas and Sauria. I hope they succeed on saving the planets especially Sauria. But to make matters worse, Kursed has started hunting down every Lombax in the Lylat System as the lombax, Sam basically stated. I imagine that the team would be seeing the bounty hunter soon. (I'm still guessing and I know she's a telepath)_ "  
Well, if they succeed, you'll have to find that out yourself, I'm afraid. As for Kursed... all I can say is 'read on'. Anyhow, I'm glad you liked the last chapter, here's hoping you'll like this one as well. Enjoy!**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I can't wait for the next one. :)_ "  
Well, wait no more, the next chapter is here! Enjoy!**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Just when bad steps up their game, the good step up their honor. And brotherhood, and professionalism and everything that makes heroes spiz.  
I'll be back for next chapter, count on it.  
Max out_"  
Well, actually the heroes - no, I won't spoil it, you'll have to read for yourself. Sorry... Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _I absolutely loved this chapter! Bob vs Falco- who will win the BATTLE OF TACOS?!... I'm kidding! I like the new OC, Samantha! She's a pretty awesome character!  
P. S. Also, Captain Qwark owes me nine quadrillion bolts!_"  
Thank you! And yes, 2016's Taco Showdown finalists: in one corner, ace pilot Falco Lombardi! In the other corner, explosion-addicted lunatic Bob Dynamite! Who will win? All kidding aside, I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you'll like this chapter just as much. Enjoy!  
P.S. Qwark? Since when does _Qwark_ need to borrow money? I thought he was famous-nevermind, I just remembered he's a fraud in the first two games. I must say, I like Qwark more in the reboot. In case you haven't seen the movie/played the PS4 game I won't spoil it for you. Although I do recommend watching the movie and playing the game. The movie is incredible and the power of the PS4 is just sick! (bad pun considering my own health right now). The PS4 game runs in 30FPS, which isn't very surprising considering the amount of detail, but everything is so fluent that you won't notice it. The only lag I ever had was on Batalia, but that was because the game had to load:**

 **\- The snowflakes falling from the sky**

 **\- The enemies**

 **\- The enemies' projectiles**

 **\- Ratchet's allies**

 **\- Ratchet's allies and his own projectiles**

 **\- Ratchet and Clank themselves**

 **\- Explosions**

 **\- Water shaders**

 **\- Rest of the level and all enemies that are still waiting for Ratchet to arrive**

 **And that's just the tip of the iceberg, so I'm not surprised the PS4 had some trouble with that. I personally hope Insomniac adds a DLC system though, and by that I mean DLC like an Old School Ratchet skin as a tribute to the original game, or mini-stories using textures and objects from the main game. Think of a story from Cora's perspective, or Brax, or even someone like Kaden. That'd be amazing. Anyhow, I'm going way off-topic. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you'll enjoy this one just as much.**

 **Heather: "** ** _Man, you are such an amazing author! And the new OC, Samantha Starlight is pretty awesome, too!  
P. S. It's fine if my OC doesn't appear in this chapter. I love no less!  
P. S. S. Sounds like quite a few problems are going on. I tried recording my gameplay for Ratchet and Clank 3 one time and failed miserably.  
P. S. S. S. Your welcome! I try to be patient with friends because they sometimes have to take things slow like I have to. And I hope you manage to work out the kinks for it!_"  
Thank you!  
P.S. Oof, that's a relief! She appears in this chapter though!  
P.S.S. Aye, I tried remote play plus Bandicam first rather than the PS4's built-in recording feature. Let's just say... incredible lag.  
P.S.S.S. Ooh, I'll find a solution, trust me. I don't give up easily. I promised a video, and I'm gonna get you all a video, even if it's the last thing I'll do. Anyhow, enjoy!**

* * *

Alpha team

Falco, Katt, Miyu, Dash, Bill, Fay, Slippy and Amanda, Zenit, Hanna and Tiger.

Planet Aquas

"Everyone, the epicenter of the darkness seems to be a point on Aquas' northern polar icecap. Prepare for heavy resistance on approach." Slippy said as they entered Aquas' atmosphere, the nine ships plus Zenit flying in a V-like formation.

"Everyone, do a systems check." Bill said. "We must find out about any errors before entering the dark storm."

"Gotcha." Zenit said. He was wearing custom-made quantumfibre armour, complete with airtight helmet with rebreather unit, radio equipment and polarized visor to block out the sun's glare. The suit also generated it's own magnetic field so Zenit could fly, and the magnetic field had the nice side effect of protecting Zenit from harmful solar radiation.

"Everyone, get ready, we've got quite the storm up ahead." Katt said, noticing flashes of red lightning in the distance. The nine fighters plus Zenit accelerated even further, and soon they shot into the warzone. Immediately a huge dark hurricane formed in front of them.

"Don't get distracted, that hurricane isn't the center of the storm." Slippy warned, keeping an eye on satellite footage provided by the Great Fox.

They flew past it and continued ahead. More hurricanes formed around them. "I've got a really bad feeling about this." Tiger said. "One timed move and we're surrounded."

"True." Falco said. "Let's beat them at their own game then."

Falco flew straight at a hurricane up ahead, the nine others following him. They started to circle the hurricane, using the vortex to speed up even further before blasting off at exactly the right moment.

As they shot away from the hurricanes, for a moment it seemed as if they had won, it stayed awfully quiet.

Too quiet. Suddenly, a huge creature came shooting out of the dark sea behind them. It was a large version of Black Hole himself constructed of the darkness flooding the area. Black Hole began to chase them. "That thing's the beacon!" Slippy said. "We must defeat it!"

Immediately they split up, everyone blasting off in different directions and utilizing the fact that Black Hole could only target one of them.

Wrong. Black Hole laughed and a hurricane formed around him, destabilizing the nine ships plus Zenit. However, remembering the trick Simon used against the tower, they opened fire at the hurricane, the storm pulling the plasma and electricity with it and surrounding Black Hole with it.

It had been another trap. Black Hole laughed again and suddenly the hurricane exploded, sending plasma in all directions. Luckily they were able to dodge the attack, but it gave rise to one question: how could they defeat this guy?

"Any ideas?" Dash asked.

Hanna frowned. "That guy's made of darkness, right?"

"Yes, why?" Amanda replied.

"Like... a solid shadow?"

"Uuh... maybe? I still don't know where you're going with this."

"Well, what if we use light?"

"Where are you going to find light here? That darn huge storm is blocking nearly all of the light." Dash growled.

"If we'd all fire at one target, it'd generate a lot of light." Hanna said.

"It could work." Tiger said. "But what target?"

"Me." Zenit suddenly said.

"What?! Are you insane?!" Fay said.

"Maybe, but this armour is made of Quantumfibre. According to Simon, Quantumfibre is the second strongest material he knows. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Katt said.

"Yes. Now fire!"

All ships opened fire at Zenit. Immediately Zenit's armour was getting pummeled with plasma fire. Zenit gritted his teeth, although the armour was blocking most of the damage, he could still feel part of the impact. It was as if he was being used as a punching bag, and the sheer luminosity of all of the plasma nearly blinded him.

"Keep it up! It's working!" Katt's voice came through. Sure enough, Black Hole raised his hands defensively to block out the light.

Then Zenit had an idea. He began to build up electrical power. Soon enough the charge began to act as a lightning rod, the red lightning striking Zenit's armour but instead of damaging Zenit, it only increased his electrical powers, and sure enough, Zenit used the magnetic field his suit generated to create an electrical barrier. "Now! Give me all you guys got!" he yelled.

As Zenit asked, the nine ships fired everything they had at once.

The explosion was spectacular. And effective: Black Hole stumbled backwards and fell into the dark sea with a loud roar. But as the darkness disappeared, everyone saw that their victory had come with a great cost.

Zenit fell from the sky, unconscious, and none of the nine ships was close enough to catch him.

But just before Zenit could slam into the ground, he was caught in a tractor beam. All nine ships turned to where the tractor beam came from, and their mouths fell open.

* * *

Meanwhile, on planet Sauria

Beta team

Peppy, Lucy, Fox, Ratchet, Angela, Kaden, Alister, Sam, Nebula and Bob

As the Beta team shot into Sauria's once velvet blue but now sickly red atmosphere, they shuddered at what they saw. The trees were black and dying, and there were skeletons of what had been inhabitants and animals everywhere. "Thank goodness we can undo this mess." Lucy said with a shudder.

Suddenly, they could all hear Black Hole's voice. "FOOLS! You've flown right into my trap, and now, you will all **die**! Wait, I got a better idea! I'll capture you all and fill you all with corruption, you will all be my slaves for eternity! Bwahahaha!"

"Uuh... I know I'm bloody crazy, but I've never heard voices in my head." Bob said. "What was that? And more importantly, can I blow it up?"

"That was the voice of the guy behind this mess." Fox explained. "And you can try, but based off what I've heard, your bombs won't deal any damage."

"Shoot. I guess I'll need bigger bombs then."

"It won't help. But you can blow up all enemies you see."

"Yaay!" Bob said, and immediately he searched the area for enemies. But strangely, none of the ten heroes could find any enemy. There was no sound save for the roaring of the nine ships' engines and Bob's jetpack.

They headed on, further towards the center of the corruption. To their surprise, nothing happened. Nothing appeared to stop them.

"Strange." Angela said. "Normally we'd run into an entire army of resistance."

When they reached the center though, things got even stranger. Located in the middle of the dark woods stood a base made out of white metal, as if it couldn't be corrupted. After a small debate it was decided that Ratchet, Angela, Kaden, Bob and Fox would land and enter the base while the other five ships would stay airborne and provide aerial support if necessary.

The five ships landed inside a surprisingly spacious, yet empty landing bay. Ratchet grabbed his OmniWrench Millennium 12 and a spare Combustor, Angela grabbed her MultiCore 'Leviathan' Combat Pistols and attached her own OmniWrench to her back, Kaden grabbed his own Praetorian Wrench, Fox grabbed his Elite-grade Military Blaster, and last but not least, Bob swapped his right hand for his grenade launcher.

With five hallways up ahead, they decided to split up, everyone taking a different hallway.

After having walked for about half a mile, suddenly, five enemies formed around Bob. They were made of the same strange dark substance that seemed to darken the surface of any infected planet. They appeared as bark versions of Bob.

The real Bob laughed. "Is _this_ me? Huh, not bad! Hey, we're one bunch of handsome devils, ey boys?"

The five 'dark Bobs' didn't respond. Instead, they raised their right arm, which they had equipped with a minigun, and started to fire.

Bob laughed. "Ooh, I'm going to blast y'all into thin gruel!" he said, firing a storm of bombs and blowing the closest four dark versions of himself to smithereens. Unfortunately, they exploded into dark dust that flowed towards the last dark Bob standing. The last dark Bob grew to five times his original size and gained two extra arms.

Bob laughed even harder as he dodged his opponent's attacks while pummeling his opponent with bombs. "You are no match for me! Run home to momma and cry!"

When the last dark Bob finally fell, Bob laughed and ran on. He glanced over his shoulder one last time. "I have squashed you like bug. You are dead. Not big surprise."

* * *

Angela walked into a strangely dark room. Immediately the reason behind the darkness became clear as a door slammed shut behind her. Angela couldn't see a thing and that bothered her.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice. "So, we meet again, huh?"

"Kursed." Angela growled.

"No."

Before Angela could reply she was hit on the back of the head with a metal pole. "I'm your worst nightmare." Kursed said with an evil grin. She reached for her earpiece. "Master, I've captured her."

"Excellent." Black Hole replied as he teleported Kursed and Angela out of there. As Kursed strapped the unconscious Lombax to a table, Black Hole grabbed his sword. "Now it's time for some... 'interrogating'."

* * *

Meanwhile outside, things had suddenly gone crazy. An entire army of dark ships had formed in mid-air out of nowhere, and immediately the five ships were under heavy fire. Sam blew up two ships with a well-aimed torpedo, then rolled out of the way of a missile whilst shooting down a few ships targeting Nebula. Meanwhile Alister was busy taking out a few larger bombers approaching from the west, and Peppy and Lucy were protecting the hangar of the base, preventing any evil ship from landing.

Although it was hard, they seemed to be surviving pretty well. They watched each other's backs perfectly whilst taking down enemy ship after enemy ship.

But then, the tides turned. Suddenly, a bomber charged into the battle, and fired a lock-on missile at Lucy.

Immediately everyone opened fire on the missile, but it was no use, the missile was too heavily armoured. "No!" Peppy yelled as he kept firing. He had to save his granddaughter. He had to! He couldn't lose her too! Not after his wife, his daughter, and his son-in-law. He couldn't possibly be losing that last relative too!

"Grandpa." Lucy spoke. "Whatever happens, I love you. And I want you to know that. And I want you to be happy, and don't ever blame yourself for what is about to happen." Lucy closed her eyes, and braced herself.

But then, Peppy saw his late wife's face before him, and he knew what he had to do. "I'm coming." he whispered as he turned his ship around, and flew straight at the missile.

The explosion sent all ships spiraling out of control. "Grandpa!" Lucy yelled.

"It's too late." Alister said, ears lowering. When the smoke cleared, everything was gone. Both Peppy's ship and the missile. "No! He must have survived somehow! He can't..."

"I'm sorry." Nebula said. "He's gone."

For a moment, it stayed silent. Then Lucy roared in pure rage and sadness. She opened fire at everything and everyone. She went on a rampage, destroying a small army of ships within minutes. "We've got to calm her." Sam said.

"Yep, and fast." Nebula agreed.

* * *

Ratchet ran out of the hallway into a large circular room. He looked around. Including the hallway he came out of, there were only four hallways. Kaden came running out of one of them. "Son, you're here!"

Ratchet frowned. " _If dad's here, than it's safe to assume four of the hallways in the beginning lead to this point, which means one of them leads off to who knows where. If Angela took that hallway..._ "

Ratchet felt sick when he saw Fox running out of one of the remaining two hallways. He focused on the last hallway. " _Please, let it be Angela..._ "

Ratchet felt the urge to vomit when he saw Bob running out of the last hallway. "Where's Angela?" he asked, frightened.

"I don't know." Kaden replied, tilting his head in confusion. "Wasn't she with any of you?"

Fox and Bob shook their heads. Ratchet stormed back into the hallway he came running out of. "Destroy the beacon!" he yelled over his shoulder. "I'm going to find Angela!"

"Good luck, Son!" Kaden yelled after him.

Ratchet ran on. Four dark clones of himself formed in the hallway to block his path, but he smashed them aside without slowing down. He ran out of the hallway he had taken, and into the hallway Angela took. Soon he ran into a dark room. "Angela?!" Ratchet yelled.

Ratchet watched in pure disgust as a few letter made of dark energy formed in front of him, making a sentence. 'Too late, Champion.' they read.

Ratchet went pale. He collapsed like a ragdoll, and fainted. That's how a worried Kaden would find him later, as a shivering, unconscious mass.

* * *

Every member of the Alpha team stared in surprise at the small ship. It was black in colour, wide and flat. The cockpit was located in the middle, and was armoured. It had two tail fins with a strong afterburner engine located in between, and it had two short wings with quad laser cannons mounted on them. (Author's note: basically the A-wing from Star Wars but with an armoured cockpit and with quad cannons instead of duel.)

It had deployed a tractor beam, and had caught Zenit just in time. The pilot couldn't be seen, and he didn't speak, he just blasted off towards the Great Fox, Zenit being pulled after the ship. Immediately the nine ships went in pursuit, determined to watch over their teammate's safety.

As the black ship reached the Great Fox, it landed in the upper hangar. The pilot climbed out, and for the first time, everyone could see what he looked like. He was wearing blue armour, with a layer of red-black striped armour underneath. Blue boots, and a blue helmet with red stripes that hid the person's face. He had a sword strapped to his back, a knife strapped to his left boot, and he had two silver combat pistol holstered on his hips. He was about 5'10.

The man quickly picked up Zenit and sprinted down a hallway, hoping to find the medical bay. Bill, who could run very fast, was able to catch up to him. "Dude, who are you, what are you doing, and where are you going?"

"I'm Zeta, and I'm trying to get this guy to the medical bay."

"Just follow me." Bill said as he accelerated even further and shot past Zeta. He guided Zeta to the medical bay where, thankfully, Elisabeth sat ready. "Who's injured?" she asked immediately as she grabbed a bed.

"Zenit." Bill said. "I don't think he's too damaged, just knocked out cold."

Elisabeth quickly got Zenit's helmet off and inspected his face. "Looks intact, I'm gonna check his skeleton though with an MRI. You two, lift him up."

Zeta and Bill reacted immediately and did as they were told as Elisabeth closed a metal ring around Zenit and moved it back and forth, scanning his body. "Skeleton is intact, all vital organs working as they should, and thank god, he's breathing." she said as she removed the ring. "Just let him sleep and he'll be fine."

Zeta nodded. "In that case I think I should introduce myself."

"I advise you to wait with the introductions until everyone's here, in that case you don't have to introduce yourself twice."

"Agreed."

About five minutes later the rest of the Alpha team came sprinting in, most of them panting. Zeta nodded. "Now that you're all here, I think it's time to introduce myself."

They all nodded in confirmation. Zeta cleared his throat. "I'm Zeta. Detective, inventor, and vigilante. When I was 18 I was in a lab accident that altered my DNA. It now reacts to my will, I don't age and I can become any race at will. It did come at a cost though."

Zeta took off his helmet, revealing the face of a Markazian man. He had hazel eyes and brown hair, but he had a scar over his left eye. "As you can see, I'm currently a Markazian. I like being a Cazar or Lombax too, but... well, having fur has quite a lot of downsides. Anyhow, my ship, Nanotech armour and weapons are all handcrafted by me. My sword is called 'The Judge', and I've named my ship 'Blindside'. Not only does my armour have an internal storage of Nanotech, it also has a cloaking device that bends light around me, effectively making me invisible. Although I'm merciless versus evil, none of you have any reason to fear me, I never attack good guys, and I'm very loyal to my allies. Alright, any more questions?"

Katt raised her hand. "What's with the scar?"

"That is the price I had to pay for immortality and the ability to turn into other races at will."

"What's your real name?" Fay asked.

"Joseph. I'm Joseph."

"Nice name." Miyu said.

"Thanks. Anyhow, I noticed something strange on my way to Aquas, it was as if every planet in Lylat has suddenly decided to become Gothic, they had this strange black cloud spreading over them."

"Oh, no." Elisabeth whispered. "Simon."

Elisabeth sprinted out the room. She ran all the way to Simon's room, and sadly, her prediction had come true. Simon was fighting with Photon, the cat trying to keep his friend in bed while Simon fought to get out. Elisabeth quickly came to Photon's aid and pushed Simon back down. "Calm, you!" she yelled.

"THEY'RE IN DANGER! I MUST HELP!"

"Nobody's in danger!"

"NONSENSE! I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW, I SAW WHAT IS HAPPENING! THEY CAN'T STOP THIS ALONE!"

"You need to rest, otherwise you'll faint in mid-air! Besides, the Beta team hasn't returned yet, so your ship isn't even here!"

Simon growled, and in one quick action, he pushed both Photon and Elisabeth off him. He ran out of his room. He thanked every god he know that he was still wearing his usual clothing so he didn't have to change clothing first, now he could stay ahead of Photon and Elisabeth who would inevitably come after him. A voice in the back of Simon's head reminded him that Elisabeth and Photon were right, but the voice that told him to save those planets screamed louder.

He arrived in the hangar to witness the Beta team returning. He nearly collapsed when he saw that Aphelion and Perihelion were being pulled forward by Alister and Kaden's ships.

"What happened?!" he asked Kaden when said Lombax came climbing out with a shivering, unconscious Ratchet in his arms. Kaden didn't respond, he just ran past Simon. He ran to Elisabeth who came running out of a hallway. "Beth! Our Son!"

When Elisabeth saw her Son, she seemed to gain some sort of superpowers. She took Ratchet from Kaden and sprinted off at a speed that staggered Kaden. Kaden quickly sprinted after her, following her to the medical bay. Elisabeth had already laid Ratchet down on one of the beds, tucked him in and was already attaching various medical equipment to Ratchet, such as a heart monitor. She nearly had a heart attack herself when she saw Ratchet's heartbeat. "Over 200 BPM!" she yelled. "He's having some sort of seizure! What the hell happened, Kay?!"

"I don't know, I found him like this... after he went to look for Angela!"

Elisabeth froze. "Did he find Angela?"

"No! She wasn't with him, I searched the room!"

Elisabeth collapsed, and Kaden was barely able to catch her. "I know what's wrong." Elisabeth whispered. Kaden carefully helped her sit down on a nearby chair. "I'm certain something terrible happened to Angela. The shock... it must've been too much for him. There's nothing I can do."

Meanwhile, in the hangar, Alister, Nebula and Sam were doing their best to calm Lucy, who was... well... 'upset' put it nicely. They tried to speak to her, but all she did was roar in anger as she kept sobbing. Alister sighed, and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I know what it's like."

"NO YOU DON'T! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LOSE YOUR LAST FAMILY MEMBER BEFORE YOUR DAMN EYES!"

Alister's ears lowered, and he stared at the ground. "I do know what it's like. I even know what it's like to see your entire race, everyone you knew and didn't knew, exterminated in front of you. And I was to blame for it. I was naive, trusted the wrong person, and as a result, one cursed, damned night, not only my whole family but my entire race was taken from me. Even my fiancée. I know what it's like."

Lucy kept sobbing. "He was special to you, huh?" Alister tried.

"What do you think?! He was my _grandfather_!"

Alister nodded. "But do you think this is what he would have wanted? He sacrificed himself so you could live, not so you could spend the rest of your life in misery. You have to stand up... for him."

"But I miss him so much!"

"He's not gone, you know. The people you love will never, never ever leave you. Not even death can change that. I'm certain that he's here right now, watching over you, together with your grandmother and your parents."

Lucy began to calm. "You think?!"

"I'm certain. Now get up, and take revenge on those responsible."

Lucy wiped away her tears. "You're right." Her eyes filled with hatred as she stared off into space. "I'll look for them, I _will_ find them, and I'll _exterminate_ them, one. By. One."

Meanwhile Simon got into his ship and blasted off. He turned to the nearest planet... only to freeze in shock. It was too late. Titania was fully covered in darkness, and then, it disappeared, slowly fading away. "No!" Simon yelled. He watched as every planet in sight was being infected. "Nooo!"

He was breathing heavily. "I couldn't save them... I can't save them... not alone..."

"That's why we're here." A familiar voice spoke. Simon turned his ship around, and his mouth fell open.

* * *

 **Introducing Zeta warrior 16's second OC, Zeta! So, Samantha Lilith Starlight and Zeta belong to Zeta warrior 16.**

 **Also, stuff is definitely going downhill! Angela has been captured and knowing Black Hole her stay isn't going to be very pleasant. Add to that, Ratchet is hospitalized, and Peppy has died. And of course, it must get worse, now every planet is being corrupted at once, Titania has already been destroyed and by the looks of things many planets will follow in Titania's footsteps. That is, unless... find out in the next chapter of Epilogue 2: Together We Stand!**


	13. The Destroyed Planet

**I'm back! Now, I'm really, really tired as I'm writing this, so let's keep this really quick, shall we?**

 **Reviews:**

 **Zeta warrior 16: "** ** _Great chapter I love how you introduced zeta and Sam_ "  
Thank you! And I'm really glad you liked how I introduced them. Here's hoping you'll like this chapter just as much.**

 **john walaszek 1: "** ** _Kursed has somehow allied herself with Black Hole, Angela has been captured, Peppy is dead, Titania was destroyed! Things aren't looking up for our heroes._ "  
No, it's certainly going downhill. One big question remains: can they win?**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Well, *BEEEEEEEEEEP* Take back what I said about heroes. Not even spiz can save them now. In fact, we may need spiz 2. Or perhaps the legendary spiz 3.  
"...I'll capture you all and fill you all with corruption, then you will be my slaves for eternity! BWAHAHAHA! Classic evil ranting.  
Then we get classic Bob. Then classic teamwork. Then...unclassic death. NOOOOOOOOOO!  
Yeah, I should really just eat my previous words. Black Hole is actually getting really far now. Dang it.  
Can't wait for chapter 13.  
Max out_"  
Spiz 3? Huh, I wonder how far it goes... does spiz 9358352 exist? (And no, I totally didn't just write a random number... you heard nothing!)  
Also, I'm afraid Black Hole is just getting started...**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I can't wait to read the next one. :)_ "  
Well, wait no more, the next chapter is here! Enjoy!**

 **zenith88: "** ** _Nice one again. And again sorry for not having the time to write a review in Time._ "  
Thank you! And I don't bother about reviews being late, that I even get reviews is worth more to me. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _Again, amazing chapter! It's hard to find writers who write such good stories such as yours!  
P. S. Yeah, Qwark did become a good guy in the later games, but I don't like him that much. I noticed in Ratchet and Clank a Crack in Time, Qwark said heroism consists of 10% raw intelligence. I think he has only 0.00000000000000000000000000001%!... Joking, but still, he is stupid.  
P. S. S. I'll definitely be sure to watch the movie, although I don't have a PS4 yet, unfortunately. But I know I'll love the movie a lot and when I do get the game, I'll be annihilating lots of enemies!_"  
Thank you! **  
****I hope my work will continue to live up to your expectations. In fact, I plan on starting a few new stories soon. Anyhow, for now, I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter of Epilogue 2.  
** P.S. Well, in Qwark's case the number may be even lower, but in Hypernova's case the number skyrockets far, far beyond 10%  
P.S.S. Oh, I think you'll love the movie, and the PS4 game even more! Both are just incredible!**

 **Heather: "** ** _You write awesome, no, fantastic stories and I can't get over how well you portray everyone! I can easily imagine every moment!  
P. S. Again, OC is portrayed to perfection!  
P. S. S. I'm going to be playing the new PS4 Ratchet and Clank game soon! Unfortunately, I didn't get to preorder it, so I don't get the Bouncer gun( which is too bad, because I loved that weapon on Ratchet and Clank 2) but, yeah, pretty awesome, right?_"  
Thank you! I hope my work will continue to live up to your expectations. In fact, I plan on starting a few new stories soon. Anyhow, for now, I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter of Epilogue 2.  
P.S. Phew, I'm glad I got it all correct!  
P.S.S. I hear you, I pre-ordered through the US version of Amazon by accident, and I didn't know that US codes don't work the European version of the PS Store, I found out ONE DAY before the game would be released, so I had one day to find a solution. The answer: create a new account on the PS4 on which I set the country to USA, enter the code, and done! And the Bouncer is probably the third strongest weapon in the entire PS4 game, it's just complete carnage! Oh, well, at least it's in Going Commando, right?**

* * *

Angela groaned as she regained consciousness. She was strapped to a metal table, and the room was dark. It sent shivers down her spine. Only one question raced through her mind: " _Where am I?!_ "

"Hello?!" she yelled. "Hellooo?! Anyone there?!"

"Ah, you're awake." a familiar voice spoke that sent even more shivers down Angela's spine. "Black Hole?!"

"Ahahaha! No. Thanks to you and that stupid fool that called himself 'Hypernova' (Black Hole spat out the name in pure disgust), I'm no longer Black Hole. That is, until very soon."

Angela looked around. A dark figure approached her, emerging from the shadows. Angela shivered at the sight. He had pale skin, long black hair, and he was wearing black leather clothing with metal spikes on it. But what frightened Angela most were his eyes. They were silver in colour, and they were dead, and empty. Black Hole's eyes were like a dark void that seemed to drain the life from any who stared into them.

But then Angela remembered something. "How was your day, 'Derrick'?" she mocked, trying to sound courageous. The response was a spiked knuckle to the face. "Don't you _dare_ call me by that name, you _weak,_ _ **pathetic**_ little-"

Angela coughed up some blood. "Why don't we get to why I'm here?" she growled.

Black Hole laughed evilly. "You have info that I'd like to acquire. And if you know even a tiny bit of who I am, you should know that I'll do _anything_ to get what I want."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"How about letting me go, you _vermin_!" Angela spat. In response Black Hole punched her in the gut. "The more you resist, the more painful this will become." he growled. "And trust me, you have _no_ idea of what pain _really_ is."

"What do you want to know?" Angela carefully asked. Black Hole grinned evilly. "How about that _Ratchet_. I want to know _everything_ , his habits, his strengths, his weaknesses, hell, even at what time he brushes his teeth! Any info you 'fail to mention' will result in more suffering. Got it, furball?"

Angela growled. "I will _never_ betray Ratchet! Go to hell!"

Black Hole laughed. "Where do you think I come from?" he whispered as he grabbed a knife. "Last chance, or I'll carve you like a pumpkin until you tell me what I want to know."

Angela shivered, but then she remembered, this was about Ratchet. "Go hang yourself." she spat.

"Wrong answer." Black Hole said as he stabbed the knife into her leg.

* * *

Ratchet suddenly twitched. He suddenly roared as if he was in intense pain. Elisabeth got up immediately. "Something's happening!"

"I can see that, but what?!" Kaden yelled.

"Something's happening to _Angela_ , you dim-wit!" Elisabeth yelled. "She's in pain, and Ratchet can feel it! We must find her, now!"

* * *

"No way..." Simon gasped.

"Your eyes are not deceiving you." Clank said. "I have come to your aid in this war against evil."

"Yeah, and you've brought the _entire_ Lombax Praetorian Guard?!"

"Yes." Giant Clank replied as he turned around to watch an entire fleet of golden-coloured battleships approach. "We will deal with the evil so you can find the source of said evil."

"Gotcha." Simon said as he turned around. "Wait!" Clank yelled. Simon stopped. "How is Ratchet?" Clank asked. "I could not find him when I came home from Holostar Studios. I waited for days, but he did not appear. I became worried, so I called to the guard for aid. We tracked Ratchet's ship to this system, and when we saw what was happening to the system, we knew we had found him. But where is Ratchet? And is he alright?"

"I don't know..." Simon replied. "I saw he was unconscious..."

Clank didn't think twice and flew to the Great Fox. Clank didn't stop running until he reached the medical bay, Simon right behind him.

Upon arrival Elisabeth immediately informed them of the situation. She had just finished her story when she collapsed. Kaden quickly caught her. "Beth, you're looking pale, are you-"

Simon placed a bucket underneath Elisabeth just in time. She puked, shivering. She looked up at Simon. "Save my son..."

Simon immediately stormed out the room. Elisabeth watched him go, and losing the last bit of hope she had, she fainted. Kaden quickly laid her down on a bed next to Ratchet. Kaden grabbed his son's hand. "Come on, son... you must snap out of this..."

* * *

Simon stormed into his room, and immediately he noticed Photon sitting on his bed, ears lowered and staring out the window. "Photon!" Simon yelled. Photon glanced over his shoulder and hissed at Simon, clearly pissed off about Simon's behavior earlier. "Photon, I'm sorry." Simon said.

Photon shook his head and stared out the window. "Photon, you don't have to forgive me, if you hate me, I understand. I was stupid and not thinking straight, and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. That wasn't fair to such a loyal friend like you. But I beg you, Photon, save Ratchet. He needs _you_."

Photon turned around immediately and sprinted past Simon, a scared look in the cat's eyes. Simon ran after Photon, picked him up, and ran as fast as he could. The moment he reached the medical bay, he threw Photon. Photon skillfully landed on an unoccupied bed next to Ratchet and jumped over to Ratchet.

Photon pressed his front paws against Ratchet's head, and closed his eyes.

"What is happening now?" Kaden said.

"Photon is a breathing miracle, Kay. He can tell us where Angela is."

Fox came running in. "Everyone is out fighting the darkness. How is Ratchet?!"

"Ssh!" Simon hissed, focused on Photon. The cat suddenly looked up. Photon sprinted out the door and ran to Simon's room, Simon, Fox and Kaden on the cat's tail. Photon ran over to a dresser in the corner, opened one of the drawers and pulled out a red sketchbook with his mouth.

"Angela's sketchbook?" Simon asked. Photon grabbed a pen from Simon's nightstand with his mouth, flipped open the sketchbook and began to draw. He drew the Great Fox, and a planet with beautiful blue rings. The planet had various lakes and one vast ocean, the land covered in forests and snow-covered mountains. Photon then drew Angela above the planet, with an arrow pointing at a dot he drew on the largest continent. Photon then drew an arrow from the Great Fox to Angela.

"That planet." Fox gasped. "I know that planet!"

"What planet?" Simon and Kaden asked in unison.

"Krystal told me about that planet. She even used her telepathic powers to show me one of her memories of the planet. That planet is Krystal's homeworld, Cerinia!"

"Cerinia?" Simon asked.

"Yes, Cerinia. But there is one problem, it was destroyed years ago, Krystal being the only survivor of the destruction."

"But if Cerinia was destroyed, how can Angela be there now?" Kaden asked.

Simon frowned. "Think, Kaden: is there a better place for a villain to build their main base than a planet that everyone believes to have been destroyed?"

"You mean... Cerinia never was destroyed, it was all a part of Black Hole's plan?" Fox asked.

"Yes."

Fox frowned. "So that lowlife faked the destruction of a planet so he could execute his plan, and in the process, traumatized Krystal? I'LL STRANGLE THE BASTARD!"

"Calm, Fox! Do you know where Cerinia is?"

Fox took a few deep breaths. "Yes. Krystal showed me where it used to be. But if we couldn't find it, even when given a few years, then how can we possibly locate the planet?"

"Black Hole likely moved the planet slightly so simply calculating where it should be today won't work. Fox, are there any reports of ships suddenly going missing?"

Fox frowned. "Now that I think of it, there are rumors of a 'zone of death' located near Sector Z, but everyone considers it to be a tall tale."

"Then that is where we need to go! Call in all our allies: Star Falco, Bill, Fay, Slippy and Amanda, Alister, Lucy, Bob, Nebula, Hanna, Sam, Tiger, Zeta, everyone! Give them the coordinates and tell them to meet us there."

"Got it." Fox said, storming off towards the bridge. Maybe, just maybe, Krystal was down there as well. Either way, he was getting closer, he could feel it. Meanwhile Simon and Kaden ran to the medical bay, where Ratchet and Elisabeth were still unconscious. Zenit was awake though, and was staring at Ratchet in shock. "Zenit, follow the rest to an area near sector Z, pronto!" Simon yelled. Zenit nodded and got out of there. While Kaden ran to his wife, Simon ran to Ratchet. Simon took a deep breath, and began to stroke Ratchet's ears. "Ratchet, we found her. We know where Angela is."

All Ratchet did was twitch and scream. "But we need your help, Ratchet! _She_ needs your help, Ratchet!"

Ratchet didn't respond.

"Do it for her." Simon whispered.

Suddenly, Ratchet's eyes shot open. But they were different. There was a strange emotion in his emerald eyes. Ratchet's eyes were filled with immense anger. "Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, hurts Angela!" he yelled as he got up and grabbed his wrench, which was leaning against the wall. "And I _will_ MURDER anyone who dares to lay a finger on her." he continued darkly.

"Ratchet, this isn't like you." Simon said.

"No." Ratchet said. "I have changed. I'm no longer the Ratchet you knew, now, I only live for one thing. To _KILL_ Black Hole."

"Ratchet, this is not how you help Angela. You must be yourself."

"Why?"

"I can't say. But evil has found it's way into your mind. Where is the kind and polite Lombax I watched grow? Where did _you_ go, Ratchet? Where did the man that Angela fell in love with, go?"

Ratchet seemed to calm. He sighed. "I'm... I'm sorry."

"Don't be. None of this is your fault. But if you want to fix this mess, then you come with us, and save her."

Ratchet nodded. "By the way, Clank is here." Simon said. Ratchet's eyes widened. "Really?! Where is he?!"

"Clank is leading the Lombax Praetorian Guard to delay Black Hole's corruption as long as possible, but they can't win this. Not unless we stop Black Hole himself."

"Understood." Ratchet said, sprinting to his ship. Simon and Fox joined him in the hangar, and together, they blasted off to where Cerinia was. Meanwhile Kaden watched them as he held Elisabeth in his arms. "Be safe, my boy. Be safe." he whispered as he gently rocked Elisabeth back and forth.


	14. Planet Cerinia

**Phew! I think I got a bit carried away playing Skyrim again in, like, forever. My character already was quite overpowered, but as I'm writing this, he's nigh unstoppable - health, magic and stamina past 1000, level past 250, fully upgraded Dawnbreaker and Dragonbane that, along with a few expert enchantments boost my attack power to about 1500 and a total armour of 3000, all perks maxed out - my character is like a walking tank that instakills nearly everything, even on Legendary difficulty. And you know what? I LOVE IT!**

 **Anyhow, Skyrim aside, I should probably make this quick, this chapter is already late, so let's head on to the reviews!**

* * *

 **Zeta warrior 16: "** ** _Great job as always and yesss clank is back_ "  
Thank you! And, of course, everyone's favorite little robot _had_ to make an appearance at _some_ point - no story without Clank!**

 **john walaszek1: " _Well, that's a shocker, Cerinia's destruction was faked by Black Hole. Fox metaphorically said that he would strangle Black Hole and Ratchet was royally pissed at what Black Hole is doing to Angela, like he could feel her. Clank has finally joined in the fight to save the Lylat System. But now there is one goal: Get to Cerinia. Rescue Angela, Free Krystal/Kursed and Kill Black Hole!_**

 ** _Let's hope our heroes can do it._ " _  
_Well, we will see about that... I hope you like what I've got planned out for the showdown on Cerinia. Let's just say that the true powers of both Light and Darkness have not yet been shown. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter. Hopefully Ratchet can get to Angela on time. I can't wait for more. :)_ "  
Thank you! And yes, let's hope so...**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _Whew! Ratchet is certainly a lot more than angry. I don't blame him, I'd annihilate him myself if could! Anyway, this was a pretty awesome chapter.  
P. S. Yeah, I think Qwark is stupider than that, too.  
P. S. S. I'll be ordering my PS4 today! Yay! And I'll be getting the game soon! :)_**

 ** _I forgot to add that Photon is the cutest little animal ever!_  
 _P. S. I don't know if I accidentally said 'him' or 'Black Hole' in my previous review, but just in case, what I meant was that I want to annihilate Black Hole. He's a lot more evil than Nefarious._ "  
Thank you! And yes, Ratchet's got a very good reason to be mad...  
P.S. Well, it's surprising how close Qwark can get to the very defenition of stupidity sometimes. Still, he has yet to reach the level where we can truly call him the master of stupidity.  
P.S.S. I think you're going to love the PS4 game! It's truly out of this world good!  
P.S.S.S. I'll definitely tell Photon those compliments! And yes, I understood that you meant Black Hole. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Heather: "** ** _I definitely think this was an amazing chapter! Plot twists, action, sci-fi... the perfect recipe for a trilogy!  
P. S. Not one character is OOC at all!  
P. P. S. Yeah, at least the Bouncer is on Ratchet and Clank 2. Still, it's too bad. I'll still love the game!_"  
Thank you! And a trilogy... well, you've hit the nail on the head, the Epilogue series is indeed far from over, with three more stories yet to be told after Epilogue 2 is complete. Perhaps even four stories, the last one being an one-shot. But that's all for the future.  
P.S. I'm so glad to hear that!  
P.S.S. Bouncer is love, bouncer is life, bouncer is the nightmare of every villain that crosses my path. I absolutely overuse that insanely overpowered weapon! And I _love_ it!**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _I'd like to take this time to officially congratulate everyone who was completely shiz/spiz in this chapter i.e. Angela, Fox, Photon, Clank (On another note, I'll have to reconstruct another one of Azimuth's quotes: "With the past corrected, you now have the full support of the Lombax Praetorian Guard. The Lylat System will be in good hands.")  
Black Hole, get ready. Cause you're going down.  
Max out_"  
Oh, trust me when I say that Black Hole won't go down without a fight... anyhow, glad you enjoyed the last chapter, here's hoping you'll like this one just as much. Anyhow, enjoy!**

* * *

As Ratchet, Fox and Simon reached Cerinia, they gasped. The planet was covering in forests and lakes, but the leaves were black and the water was sickly red. There was a true dogfight going on over the planet, Black Hole's forces were trying to prevent anyone from passing and the heroes were trying to defeat said resistance.

Ratchet, Simon and Fox joined the fight, and the tides turned completely. What had been an uneasy truce now became a manhunt, Black Hole's forces crumbling under the sheer amount of fire a determined Ratchet sent their way.

And for a brief moment, there was a gap in the defenses. Immediately everyone made a run for it. Ratchet, Fox, Simon, Tiger, Bob, Zeta, Hanna, Nebula, Samantha and Zenit were able to pass through while team Star Falco, Bill, Fay, Slippy and Amanda, Alister and Lucy covered them and prevented any of Black Hole's forces from going in pursuit.

But what Ratchet, Fox, Simon, Tiger, Bob, Zeta, Hanna, Nebula, Samantha or Zenit saw coming was a huge laserbeam firing from the ground out of nowhere. The ships were destroyed, their pilotes barely able to eject in time. Simon focused on the people falling near him, Fox, Ratchet and Tiger, whilst grabbing Final Eclipse. Using the legendary sword's powers, he could slow them down. Meanwhile Bob and Zenit grabbed Nebula and Samantha respectively and carefully brought them down to the ground while Zeta transformed into a creature with wings and Hanna used her hoverboots to glide. In the end, they all landed safely, although Fox, Simon, Ratchet and Tiger had landed in a different part of the forest.

"Now what?" Bob wondered out loud.

"Bob, Zenit, anyone, do you copy?" Fox asked through the communications channel.

"We hear you loud and clear, Fox." Zeta said. "What do you want us to do?"

"According to Simon he could feel the presence of an evil building nearby, presumably one of Black Hole's outposts. Destroy it ASAP, it'll cripple his defenses even further and allow the others to land as well."

"Copy that, over and out." Hanna said. Hanna grabbed her Alpha Distruptor for it's range and sheer overpower while she activated her hoverboots, Zeta grabbed 'The Judge' and transformed into a Lombax because Lombaxes had excellent stamina, Nebula grabbed her Shock Ravager, Sam grabbed her dual 'Raptor' submachine guns, Zenit activated his electrical powers and last but not least, Bob swapped his right hand for a grenade launcher and his left hand for a minigun.

"Alright, team, we need a plan" Nebula said.

"Screw plans, I want to, wait, scratch that, I _need_ to blow stuff up!" Bob said.

"No. We need a smart and tactical approach." Hanna said.

"May I make a suggestion?" Zeta asked.

"Go ahead, soldier." Hanna replied. "As long as you don't go AWOL on us... speaking of which, did I ever tell any of you of that time when-"

"Not now, Hanna." Zenit cut her off. "There's no time for stories. Sorry. Anyhow, Zeta, what's your idea?"

"I am very loyal to my allies, you do not have to be afraid of me leaving all of you to die when the fire gets too hot. Together we stand, together we fall." Zeta said to Hanna. Then he cleared his throat. "Anyhow, here's my plan..."

* * *

Slowly the four heroes sneaked through the forest, weapons held ready and eyes peeled. Any sound had them looking around for danger.

But then, a terrible laugh echoed through the area. "You never should have come here."

"Kursed." Tiger growled.

"You vermin! Where is Angela?!" Ratchet yelled.

"Oh, you want Angela? Well, here you go! Hahaha!"

They heard a sickening smack behind them. They looked around. Kursed was sitting in a tree, glaring daggers at the heroes. And underneath the tree...

"Angela!" Ratchet cried out as he ran over to her. Angela was lying on the ground, and she looked terrible. She was covered in stab wounds and she was losing blood by the second. Judging by how her eyes turned to Ratchet when she heard his voice, she was still awake, but it was clear that she wouldn't last much longer.

Ratchet carefully picked her up and ran over to Simon. He carefully laid her down on the ground, and immediately Ratchet pressed his hands to the most severe looking wounds. Ratchet turned to Simon. "Help me." he said with pleading eyes. Simon sighed, and shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "It's too late, Ratchet. There's nothing I can do."

"But can't you repeat what you did to Sam?"

"I can't. I don't have enough energy to heal all of her wounds."

Simon knelt down and pressed his hands against some of Angela's more severe wounds. "I can only delay the inevitable." he said, clearly about to burst into tears as well.

"Aww, how sad." Kursed said with an evil laugh. "Don't worry, you'll all be joining her soon."

That hit a nerve. Tiger glared daggers at Kursed... and took off her eyepatch.

Tiger's left eye was bizarre to say the least. Instead of an eye, there was some sort of crystal where her eye was supposed to be. What's more, the 'gem eye' began to glow. A golden colored bow formed in Tiger's hands, and Kursed barely had enough time to prevent being shot in the face by an arrow.

Kursed growled. "I'll fry your mind like an egg!"

Immediately, Kursed seemed to appear everywhere. "Which one's the real one?" Fox said.

"Hmm... that one, perhaps?" Tiger said, shooting at a Kursed to the right of her. The Kursed she hit vanished in a cloud of purple smoke. "Aww, better luck next time!" Kursed said with an evil chuckle.

Suddenly, something came storming out of the bushes. "Photon?!" Simon cried out. "What are you doing here?!"

Then he remembered that one of the back seats of his Star Explorer had been moved when he jumped into the ship. Photon had sneaked into the ship, and because Photon could tap into the power of Simon's sword, he had been able to slow himself. Photon immediately jumped at a Kursed, and before the Kursed could even move, Photon had clawed at her face. Kursed jumped backwards just in time with a gasp and kicked Photon in the face, sending the cat flying backwards.

Kursed hissed in rage. "I'll _squash_ your mind!" she roared as she focused on Photon with every fiber of her being.

Bad idea. Kursed had expected Photon to be as intelligent as an average cat, she never could've imagined Photon being smarter than her. Using the surprise to his advantage, Photon reversed the telepathy and drilled into Kursed's mind. Simon understood what was going on. "Fox, grab Photon's right ear, now!"

Fox did as he was told, and immediately, everything went black.

* * *

Everything was silent, only the wind could be heard. But then a bomb shot through the air, and a storage shed next to the black-coloured base exploded violently. "Really?!" Sam hissed, who was crouching next to Bob. "You only had to create a distraction! You didn't have to draw the attention of every enemy on the planet!"

Bob turned to her, his head having formed into a figure Samantha had seen on the Holonet a few times, the Troll Face. "Problem?" Bob asked as he fired more grenades at the already devastated storage shed.

Sam rolled her eyes. Mere minutes later a small army worth of dark-energy troopers came storming out of the building, and they surrounded the storage shed. But then, a tree in the distance exploded. Immediately all heads turned to the tree, and the second nobody was paying attention, the heroes sneaked into the base.

It was quiet and dark inside, but luckily Zenit was able to provide some light with his electrical powers. They headed deeper into the facility, Zeta using his invisibility cloak to check if there were any guards nearby before he signaled the others to move. It didn't take them that long to reach the center of the base.

* * *

(Author's note: I recommend listening to the track 'Pokémon Platinum Distortion World Remix' by 'GlitchxCity' on YouTube whilst reading this part, it has the same atmosphere I was going for.)

Fox found himself in a bizarre place. He was in a forest. The sky was dark purple, the surface was covered in black, dying trees, and the grass was also black and dying. There were strange rocks hovering in the sky, far in the distance. But what startled him the most was the faint sound of crying.

"What a terrible place, isn't it?" a voice spoke next to Fox, nearly giving the vulpine a heart attack. A half-transparent Photon was standing next to him, staring at Fox with a slightly tilted head.

"You can talk?!"

Photon laughed. "No, I cannot speak. Not in the real world, at least. But I can express my thoughts in words, and thus, in this realm, I can speak."

"This realm?"

Photon nodded. "We are in Kursed's mind right now."

"What?!"

Photon nodded.

"Does this mean..."

Photon nodded again. "As you can see, Kursed has poisoned this place, and she's getting stronger every second. She's already too strong for Krystal to defeat Kursed, although Krystal is trying her best to keep this place alive, hence why the plants are dying, but not yet dead. But we must hurry, as you can see, Kursed is crushing Krystal. If Kursed wins, if these plants, and Krystal with them, die, then there will be no way to bring back Krystal. In that case, Krystal will be as good as dead."

"Did I cause this?" Fox asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I... I once made a stupid mistake. One that really hurt Krystal. I'm afraid I caused Kursed to appear."

Photon shook his head. "I cannot say, this is not my head. Luckily this isn't my head, otherwise I'd have confused you so greatly that you wouldn't be able to do anything other than stand, stare, and say "Uuuh..."

"We really should go save Krystal."

"Agreed." Photon said.

"But, eh... how are we going to save Krystal?"

"This mind is being ruled by two personalities, both of them having a physical form in this realm. If we protect Krystal and defeat Kursed, Krystal will be able to regain control."

"But... where is Krystal?"

"I suppose we should follow the sounds of crying. Think about it, the only two people in this dimension besides us are Krystal and Kursed, and as far as I know only Krystal has a reason to cry."

Fox winced. "Let's get going then."

Meanwhile, Simon and Ratchet were still applying pressure to Angela's wounds, but both knew it was inevitable. Fox, Kursed and Photon just stood there, and Tiger was still holding her bow, ready to protect them all from any of Black Hole's forces if necessary.

Simon could feel Angela's heartbeat slow. He knew that the time to say goodbye was near, but he was hellbent on delaying the inevitable as long as possible.

While Simon and Ratchet were trying to keep Angela alive, Fox and Photon ran through the dying planet in Krystal's mind. The sobbing slowly got louder as they ran on.

Soon, a large, white temple formed in the distance. It roughly had the shape of a pyramid, with a staircase pattern. The sobbing seemed to come from an altar on top of the temple. Fox and Photon entered the temple.

Immediately, the world went nuts. Gravity seemed to go crazy, as there were staircases everywhere - on the walls, upside down, they were everywhere. Photon and Fox just kept walking, but soon found themselves running in circles, from the wall to the ceiling. "There has to be a way through this room..." Fox wondered.

"What if we think outside the box?" Photon wondered out loud before jumping off the stairs.

"Photon!" Fox yelled, but then he realized they were standing upside down, so Photon was actually going up! Fox quickly jumped after Photon, and soon they found themselves on top of the temple.

Fox froze. In front of him, Krystal was lying on a white stone table. She wasn't moving, and her eyes were closed. There was a dark purple barrier around her that was slowly shrinking with the intention of crushing Krystal.

"You're too late." Kursed's voice echoed through the air. "She's dead, and now, this place is _mine_!"

"No! Over my dead body!" Fox yelled as he reached for his blaster... only to find out that it wasn't there. "What?! Where's my blaster?"

Photon sighed, ears lowering. "Ooh, stupid me, I forgot to mention that weapons cannot be taken into this realm."

"Oh, crap..." Fox groaned. "Now what? And where is Kursed anyway?"

"Fox, this place is like a dream."

Photon suddenly flew up. "You can do anything you can imagine. Granted, Kursed will suppress your powers so you can't do anything too incredible, but you can do quite a lot."

Fox suddenly had an idea. A compass formed in his hands. "What is that?" Photon asked.

"An evil-compass, it should help us find Kursed."

"Allow me." Kursed suddenly spoke up as the compass vanished. "Ooh, a gift? For me?" Kursed's voice came echoing through the air.

Photon hissed. "We need a plan."

Then the cat's eyes widened. "I got it!"

"What's your plan?"

"Close your eyes, and turn away."

Although Fox was curious about Photon's plan, he did as he had been asked. Photon took a deep breath and then, all of a sudden, there was an explosion of light. Kursed roared in pain, and when Fox opened his eyes, Photon was gone. "Photon?! Photon!"

But then Fox noticed the land below. The forests had returned to their normal, green colour and the ground was filled with the most beautiful flowers. What's more, the barrier around Krystal had disappeared.

But then a terrible wind knocked Fox back an inch before he could brace himself. Kursed formed above Krystal, like a demon. "I will _kill_ you!" she hissed at Fox. Suddenly, a hand grabbed Kursed's neck. Kursed immediately reached for her neck whilst making choking sounds. "What the-"

"Hands off my friends!" Krystal hissed before throwing Kursed at the ground with such force that Kursed created a hole in the ground. Krystal landed, and looked up, at Fox.

When their eyes met, Krystal smiled, and everything went white.

* * *

Fox shook his head as he was brought back to reality. He was no longer grabbing Photon's ear. "Photon?" he asked. He felt something brush past his leg. He looked down and saw Photon, staring up at him. The cat smiled and nodded. Fox pet the cat before looking up at Kursed.

Except it wasn't Kursed anymore. Fox could see it in her eyes, this was Krystal. Krystal looked up and frowned. "Eugh, what happened to my hair?! Purple?!"

Fox laughed. "Welcome back, Krys."

Krystal locked eyes with Fox and bit her lip. "Fox, I..."

Before Krystal could finish her sentence, she noticed Angela out of the corner of her eye. "Oh my gods! Did I do that?!"

"No." Fox quickly said.

"Gods of Cerinia, I've become a monster!" Krystal yelled, collapsing. Fox quickly caught her. "Krystal, your hands have done many wrong things, but you were not controlling them. You cannot be blamed for something you did not do."

"But I _did_ do it!"

"No you didn't. Kursed did."

Krystal took a deep breath. "You're right. I shall fight to undo Kursed's evil actions.

"That's the spirit!"

"Uh, a little help here?" Ratchet yelled. Krystal quickly got up and ran over to Angela. "Oh, no... I haven't got my staff! I can't help her!" Krystal yelled in panic after having failed to locate her weapon.

Fox frowned. "Hey, Krys, in your mind, I and Photon found you on top of some sort of temple. What temple was that? I've never seen anything like it."

Krystal's eyes widened. "Lightbringer Temple! Of course! The Princess of Light, she can help!"

"Lightbringer temple? Princess of Light?" Simon asked with a raised brow.

"This way!" Krystal yelled. Ratchet picked up Angela, and everyone ran after Krystal. But then something jumped out of the bushes.

A dark soldier. Krystal barely had enough time to yell as the dark soldier raised his sword... and brought it down on Fox, who had jumped between them. A golden arrow courtesy of Tiger's bow quickly got rid of the dark soldier, but the damage had already been done. Fox collapsed. Krystal got down on her knees and stroked Fox' cheek with her thumb. "Fox... why did you do that?"

"Because... Krystal... I... lo... you... bye..."

And after one last sigh, Fox stopped moving. Krystal frowned and lay down next to him. "What are you doing?" Tiger asked.

Krystal didn't respond. She grabbed Fox' hand, and closed her eyes. And then Krystal stopped moving as well. Tiger sighed. "Oh, great."

She turned to Simon, Photon and Ratchet. "Ratchet, lay Angela down on the ground so I can protect her too. Photon, I need your help here. Simon, do you think you can handle the temple?"

Simon laughed. "Please. That temple is no match for me."

"Alright then. Good luck."

"Thanks!" Simon yelled over his shoulder as he ran on.

* * *

Everything was white. Fox blinked a few times. "What is this place?" he wondered out loud.

"In-between." a familiar voice replied. "Krystal?" Fox asked.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and when he turned around...

There stood Krystal. Her hair was blue again, and she was wearing a beautiful cobalt blue dress rather than purple combat armour.

"In-between?" Fox asked.

Krystal nodded. "This is your mind. It's currently unclear where you'll go, if you will return to the living, or if you'll..."

"Die?"

Krystal nodded. "With my powers I could enter this realm, so here I am."

"But why?"

"Because I want you to know that I'm sorry. I should have known that you only wanted to protect me. I was immature, stubborn and I ignored the order of my captain."

"No." Fox said. "I should apologize. You are an excellent pilot, Krys. And I knew that you could handle yourself out there."

"Then why did you kick me off the team?" she asked.

"Because..."

"Because you were concerned for my safety?"

"Y-yeah. It's stupid really, it wasn't my decision to make, but what bothers me the most is that I hurt you. And I can't forgive myself for that."

"Perhaps you can't... but I can."

"You forgive me?"

Krystal nodded. "I forgive you. I thought I couldn't be around you anymore after all that had happened, but being away from you taught me a valuable lesson: the wrongs of the past are irrelevant, what matters is making the future right. And that's what I want to do."

Fox smiled and pulled her into an embrace. "It's good to have you back, Krys."

"Fox?"

"Yeah?"

"This... this is really awkward, you know?"

Fox let go, blushing a bit. "Yeah, it is."

Fox failed to notice that Krystal was blushing as well. "Fox... with my powers... I can influence this realm. Tell me, is there anything you wish for?"

"Yeah... I want to stand in the middle of a field of flowers."

"Any specific flowers?"

"Roses. Blue ones."

And sure enough, the two foxes were standing in the middle of a meadow covered in cobalt blue roses.

"Anything else?"

"Yes. I want rain."

"Rain?"

"Yes. Rain."

"Okay..." Krystal said as it began to rain. "Why?"

Fox suddenly moved forward. "Because I always wanted to do this."

Fox kissed her. "I love you, Krystal. I always have."

Krystal just stood there, unable to believe her ears. "So that's why you kicked me off the team? And that's why you jumped in front of me?"

"Yes."

"If only I had known..." Krystal said. Then she moved forward. "Fox?"

"Yeah?" Fox said. Inside, Fox was burning up. Did Krystal love him back? Or had he just ruined their friendship?

"No matter where you go after this realm, I will go with you." Krystal said before kissing him.

* * *

Simon carefully entered Lightbringer temple, Final Eclipse raised and ready to strike. It was dark inside, and there was a staircase on the other side of the room. Simon slowly kept walking. Suddenly, two blades shot out of the wall a few meters ahead, and they began to slide towards him. Simon jumped over them, then quickly rolled forward to dodge a set of blades that suddenly came swooping out of the wall overhead. But then the floor began to fall apart behind him. Simon began to run and reached the staircase just in time... but it didn't stop there. The staircase began to fall apart as well. "This just became a lot more hectic." Simon huffed as he kept running.

The next floor was made of sand, and the moment Simon stepped into the room, he could feel that it was quicksand. Thankfully the quicksand was no match for the power of Final Eclipse, Simon using the sword's power to shoot out of the quicksand. He jumped from wall to wall before reaching the other side at last. Simon quickly ran up the stairs. The next room was filled with water. Simon jumped in and dove underneath the water. Using Final Eclipse, he shot through the water like a torpedo, reaching the other side within seconds.

The next floor was quite different. It was really dark, and a door slammed shut behind Simon the second he stepped into the room. The only light was coming from Final Eclipse. Simon growled and sent some energy into Final Eclipse. "Light!"

Immediately the sword's glow grew brighter, illuminating the room. Simon immediately noticed a small army of dark-energy knights coming for him.

Simon made quick work of them, taking out over 90% with a well-timed spin attack and taking out the rest with a few quick swings of his sword.

Finally a column of light began to descend from the top of the room. Simon jumped and used Final Eclipse to boost himself further up and into the light.

However, instead of reaching the top, Simon found himself in a boiling room. This was one of the moments where he missed Hypernova's advanced internal coolers.

But, there were people dying outside, so he couldn't give up now. Simon grabbed his sword and unleashed a flurry of blows, the fire dying out in the sword's wake. Simon carved a path through the fire until he, at last, reached the staircase.

" _This better lead to the top..._ " Simon thought as he ran up the stairs.

A large door blocked his path. Words began to appear on the door.

'You have done well coming this far, warrior, but it takes more than a strong body to proceed. Now, your mind shall be put to the test.'

Simon laughed. " _Bring it on._ "

As if on cue, a riddle appeared on the door.

'I drape the hills in gentle white  
and from the heavens I will glide.  
What am I?'

Simon rolled his eyes. "Fresh snow."

The riddle was replaced by another riddle. 'What is broken when it's not held?'

"A promise."

'It is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of the end, and the end of every space. What is it?'

"The letter E."

'Voiceless it cries, and wingless it flutters.  
Toothless it bites and mouthless it mutters.  
What is it?'

"The wind."

'The more places I be, the less you can see. What am I?'

"Darkness."

'I'm as a child, a lamb, and a simpleton at once. All are born with me, yet few possess me at their moment of death. What am I?'

"Innocence."

'You have completed the trials, you may enter, warrior.' the door then read before slowly sliding away. Simon walked through, and found himself in a garden on top of the temple. The plants were green and full of life as opposed to the forests covering the rest of the planet. There was a figure kneeling in front of an altar ahead.

The figure stood up, facing away from Simon. "Did you enjoy the spikes and blades?"

"Meh, they're interesting, but I'd rather view them from a distance."

"Did you enjoy the sand?"

"Nah, not really, but something tells me that that sand wasn't there to be enjoyed."

"Did you enjoy the water?"

"Honestly? I'd have preferred a dry route."

"Did you enjoy the darkness?"

"I don't enjoy darkness."

"Did you enjoy the fire?"

"No." Simon replied truthfully, although he was getting a bit tired of this.

"Did you enjoy the puzzles?"

"Yes, I did enjoy those."

"Good." The figure replied. "Because those first ones were traps. You were honest to a lady, although it could've offended her."

"But lying is a bigger offense. Still, if I have offended you, then my sincerest apologies."

"You have not offended me. But tell me, what brings you here?"

"I seek your assistance."

The princess turned around. She was a Lombax. She had long golden hair that ended just beyond her shoulders, she had white fur and blue stripes, and sky blue eyes. She was wearing a beautiful short-sleeved white dress along with white gloves that ended just beyond her elbows.

"You seek my assistance?" she asked.

"Yes. Two close friends of mine are dying down there. You are my, and their, last hope."

The princess turned away. "I can't help you."

"Why not?"

"I cannot simply use my powers."

Simon frowned. "Can you heal them or not?"

"In theory, yes, but I won't do that."

"And why will you let them die?"

"Because I never use my powers."

Simon growled. "You _are_ going down there and you _are_ going to heal them, even if I have to drag you all the way there. I refuse to let my friends die."

The princess turned to him, a strange fire present in her eyes. "I tell you what, if you can defeat me, I will heal them."

Simon grabbed his sword. "So be it."

The princess eyed Final Eclipse. "What is that?" she asked as a golden staff with a sky blue crystal on one end formed in her hands.

"This is my sword, Final Eclipse."

"A sword? Is that all you've got versus the Staff of Eternal Light?"

"Final Eclipse is way, way stronger than you think." Simon said as he braced himself.

"And why is that?"

"It uses light energy."

The princess gasped. Her staff disappeared, and she bowed before Simon. "Another wielder of the light weapons. Forgive me."

Simon put his sword away with a confused face. "What?"

"Forgive me for my behavior, I could not have known that you wield a weapon of light. Only those with the purest of hearts can do so. Until now I could not have been sure about your intentions. If we would have fought, my staff would have told me all I needed to know, but it seems that fighting is no longer necessary."

"Will you help my friends now?"

The princess nodded. "Yes. Lead the way."

* * *

 **Introducing my third OC, the Princess of Light. Does she have a name? Yes, but you'll find out what name later. And no, that totally is not because I haven't chosen a name yet!  
**

 **Don't underestimate her though, she plays a _very_ important role! As for the next chapter, I'm gonna give you all a little sneak preview-**

 **"Can't let you spoil that, White Guardian!"**

 **Well, you heard that voice, I can't spoil it yet... or did I just spoil it?**

 **Anyhow, Fox and Krystal are reunited at last! Finally, Fox' long search is over!**

 **But the question remains: can they defeat Black Hole? Find out in the next chapter of Epilogue 2!**


	15. Planet Cerinia part 2

**I'm literally falling asleep as I'm writing this. I'm sorry for being late, I didn't have much time to write. This morning I had a speaking exam. Yes, I know it's Saturday, the annoying thing is that I'm not kidding. Anyhow, since I'm already half-asleep I'm not going to write long author's notes. Review replies!**

 **john walaszek1: "** ** _Finally, Fox and Krystal are reunited, Fox actually sacrificed himself to save Krystal, but he's not entirely dead. Krystal forgave Fox for kicking her off the team to protect her and finally had a romantic moment, even though she visited his dying mind. And now the Princess of Light is going to help save Fox and Angela as they are near death. But that phrase in your AU was very Wolf O'Donnell if you ask me._ "  
Well, only one way to find out if it really was Wolf O'Donnell... Enjoy!**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I hope Angela can de saved. I can't wait to read the next chapter._ "  
Well, wait no more, the next chapter is here. Enjoy!**

 **saviour of worlds: " _I can see that you've been playing skyrim a lot lately. For example: Kursed said "You never should have come here" this is the most used quotes in the history of skyrim, right above "You're not supposed to be in here" and "wait I know you"_**

 ** _I haven't posted a review for quite a long time and that's because the internet of my computer suddenly decided to break. And typing on a phone is the most annoying thing ever._**  
 ** _Anyhow, It's great to see Fox and krystal together. For as long as they stay alive._**

 _ **I also want to say that I really like the positive reactions to Bob.**_

 _ **P.S. Did you know that skyrim from the elder scrolls is only a tiny part of Tamriel (an island). On the planet Nirn? It's one of the largest islands on the planet. Also in the previous games of the eleder scrolls, you were actually able to explore entire Tamriel. And it would take real life weeks to go to the other side. But this was all generated unlike the skyrim we know today.**_

 ** _Yes, I know a lot about skyrim. And... It is wolf. OH! Looks like I spoiled it! :O"_  
Well, I have indeed been playing Skyrim, although I wasn't referring to Skyrim with that line. At least, not intentionally. I do have some Skyrim references in this chapter though. And I'm not sure if 'Never should have come here' is the most used quote, but definitely the most famous one is the 'arrow to the knee'.**

 **Sad to hear your computer's internet has decided to start playing dumb, I hope it'll not happen again.**

 **Ah, I see you know the backstory of the Elder Scrolls! You know, exploring entire Tamriel has returned to some extent, there are Skyrim mods in the makings that add the other 'countries', as well as the Dragonborn DLC that adds a part of Morrowind. I've even got a mod that allows me to explore Elsewyr... to some extent. Anyhow, doens't matter, back to the point. The Elder Scrolls: Online isn't called 'Tamriel Unlimited' for nothing, most of Tamriel can be explored. I said _most_ , not _all_. For instance, you can only visit cities like Riften in Skyrim. There's a limit to it, but still, it's a pretty darn huge area to explore, several times bigger than Skyrim! Speaking of Skyrim, I have a Ratchet  & Clank / Skyrim crossover story called Zoniborn, and I sould really get back to writing more chapters for it... Anyhow, I hope you enjoy chapter 15!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _Amazing chapter! And you say there's more stories coming up, according to your reply to Heather? Beyond amazing!  
P. S. I got my Ratchet and Clank game and it is awesome! The graphics are amazing, the weapons are first class, and the characters are hilarious! "See you in the next reboot!" Plumber quote!  
P. S. S. Qwark is probably the master of stupidity now... I shouldn't be surprised if he clonked his head on a bunch of stuff when he was a baby!  
P. S. S. S. Qwark owes me 9,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999,999 bolts now and if he doesn't pay up he's going to have a R.Y.N.O. at his head!... kidding!_"  
Well, yes, I've got two story plans, one of them nearly ready while the other needs a little longer, but I plan to post them soon. That, and I've been thinking of getting back to writing Zoniborn again, an old story of mine that's currently on hold.  
P.S. I know, right! And I hope the Plumber is right and that there'll be a sequel to the game. Quoting Skidd here: "It's gonna be _awesome!_ "  
P.S.S. Using a quote from saviour of worlds here: "Some people were dropped as a baby. Qwark was clearly thrown at a wall."  
P.S.S.S. That's a loooot of money. Perhaps even more money than there is on Earth! :O**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Spiz. That was another great chapter. Loved the riddles. Fresh Snow; A Promise; E; The Wind; Darkness and Innocence. (Wouldn't have ever solved them though.) :(  
And absolutely YES! Another pair of lovers finally reunited. (Gonna have to double up on my Feels Hospital stays however. You had better make it worth the trips...and don't ask what will happen it you don't.)  
Max out.  
P.S. CURSE YOU STUPID DISEMBODIED VOICE! I DON'T MIND BEING SPOILED!_"  
Well, I'm afraid there are way more feels ahead, I'm just getting started. And no disembodied voice will stop me this time, it's all in this chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

Simon and the princess of light reached Tiger in minutes. Tiger was still guarding Ratchet, Angela, Fox and Krystal, although judging by the dead dark warriors lying around, defending them had not been easy.

"Are you okay?" Simon asked.

"Yeah. A bit tired, but I'm still breathing."

Simon nodded. He then turned to the Princess of Light. Simon pointed at Fox and Angela. "They are in need of medical assistance, and quick."

The princess nodded. Her staff formed in her hands. She pointed it at Angela, and a white beam shot out of the crystal. Immediately Angela's wounds began to heal. When Angela had been healed, the princess turned to Fox, but the princess was getting exhausted. Simon knew what he had to do. He grabbed his sword and began to give the princess his own energy, increasing her powers.

Ratchet smiled. "Angela, how are you feeling?"

Angela tiredly shook her head. "Quite tired, but other than that, I'm fine."

Ratchet immediately wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so glad you're okay." he whispered.

* * *

Fox suddenly began to fade. Krystal's eyes widened.

"What is happening?" Fox asked, scared.

"Your soul has chosen it's path."

"What has it chosen? Am I gonna die?"

Krystal smiled. "I'll see you back in the real world."

Fox's eyes widened. Before he could respond, he was sucked into a bright, white light. When he opened his eyes, he saw Krystal hovering over him. "Am I back?"

"Yes." Krystal replied. "We're back."

Krystal got up. "But what has happened to Cerinia?"

Krystal noticed the Princess of Light. "Oh my goodness."

Krystal immediately got down on one knee and bowed her head. "Princess of Light, you have my eternal respect."

The princess laughed. "Please, it was my pleasure."

"Princess, what happened to Cerinia?" Krystal asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Look around. What's with the forests?"

The Princess of Light looked around. Her eyes widened, and she gasped. "Oh, my, I was so focused on the task at hand that I hadn't even noticed! And back on the temple I couldn't see the forests! Oh, gods, this is terrible! It's all... dying! Why is the planet dying?!"

"I believe I can answer that." Simon said, leaning on his sword. The princess turned to him. "Speak up!"

"Right now, Cerinia is being used as the main base of operations of Black Hole, a villain who is so evil that he has absolutely no respect for anyone. That man would even murder his own mother. What you see here is the effect of his presence."

"This is outrageous! We must stop this!" the princess hissed.

"We? Do you think of joining us?" Simon asked

The princess nodded. "Yes. I cannot and will not let you people take on this threat alone. Not if I can help."

"You do realize Black Hole is extremely dangerous?"

"Anything to save Cerinia." she replied, tightening her grip on her staff.

"Alright then."

"So..." Ratchet spoke up. "What now?"

"We find Black Hole."

"But how are we going to do that?"

"Ratchet, this corruption is being powered by Black Hole himself. Where can we find Black Hole?"

"The most damaged area!"

"Indeed."

"But what if he moves from area to area? That'd make several more damaged areas." Angela said.

Simon hummed in thought. "True. We need a way to pinpoint his exact location."

"Maybe that can help." Tiger said, pointing at a dark, huge hurricane forming in the distance.

"Perhaps, but it could also be a trap. Remember that whirlwinds are very violent. We need aerial support, a set of eyes in the sky would help greatly."

* * *

Everything was quiet inside Black Hole's base, save for the ever present humming of the shield generator.

Using the sound to their advantage, the group of heroes carefully made their way to the source of the sound. Soon, they arrived in a large, circular room, the center of the room being one huge machine.

"That must be the shield generator." Nebula whispered.

"Then let's see about shutting it down." Zeta whispered.

The group scattered, sneaking through the room by exploiting the dense system of pipes attached to the machine. Soon, they had surrounded the machine... save for Bob and Zeta, who had carefully dropped down to the guards and would cause a distraction.

Bob grinned as he grabbed a grenade... but then he noticed something. These guards were robotic lookalikes of dark troopers, perhaps he could hack them.

Bob tried, and to his surprise, the defenses were quite easy to bypass. He focused on a single robot and hacked into the robot's audio receptors.

He could now make the robot 'hear' any sound coming from any direction by sending a false signal from the audio receptors.

The robotic guard walked on, completely unaware. But then...

'Need to sharpen my _blade_...'

The guard turned around, that sound had come from right behind him.

'You know, I was there for that whole sorted affair. _Marvelous_ time! Butterflies, blood, a fox, a severed head, ohoho, and a _**cheese**_... to die for.'

The robot turned around again, greatly confused. He had no idea what was happening.

Then, a flood of sounds.

'Show me yo' moves!'  
'I'm really feeling it!'

'Is that all?'

'Prepare yourself!'

'CHEEEESE!'

'Hopefully, it will have been worth the wait.'

'How's the weather over there, dumbass? Get on the friggin' point!'  
'I'm coming for you...'

Then it stayed silent for a few seconds, but the sounds would return moments later.

'I'm going to _carve_ you, like a pumpkin!'

'Wanna meet sharpy?'

'I'm gonna carve ya a new cakehole!'

'I'm gonna cut a _smile_ into ya!'

'I'll _carve_ you into pieces!'

The robot, which was beyond frightened at this point, could only look around in panic. And after five seconds of silence, there was a sound right behind him.

'May I make a suggestion? Run.'

The robotic guard wasted no time in taking Bob up on that offer, he ran off into one of the hallways. Bob needed quite a lot of processor power to not burst out laughing, because as much as he'd love to laugh right now, it'd give away his position immediately.

Meanwhile Zeta was scaring away the other guard by picking stuff up or punching the guard in the face whilst being invisible.

Once both guards were gone, the others, who were crouching on the pipelines, got into action. As agreed, Zeta stomped the ground once. Then a second time.

And when they heard the third 'KLANG!' they fired their weapons as one. The machine powering the shield exploded nigh immediately due to the sheer amount of firepower pummeling it from all sides.

However, the deactivation of the machine had not gone unnoticed by the base's computer systems, and the alarms started to go off. However, Hanna had seen this one coming, and thus they were prepared.

"It's obvious!" she had said. "What self-respecting villain would let a bunch of heroes destroy a very important machine unnoticed? If Black Hole is as smart as he claims to be, then I'm certainn the generator is also a trap, so I'm certain deactivating it will trigger the alarms."

"But what other choice do we have?" Nebula had replied. "That thing HAS to go down!"

"Affirmative, but we should be prepared for anything."

And thus the group had already prepared a trap. They all quickly dropped down to the ground, and Hanna was proven correct when dark troopers came storming out of all of the hallways.

Zenit quickly formed a barrier around them as Bob grinned. "Hey, fellas! You're right on time for the fireworks!"

Suddenly, the bombs that Bob had placed on the walls as the others were destroying the machine, detonated.

Zenit's shield protected the heroes from the blast, but the dark troopers weren't as lucky.

After that explosion, the heroes quickly ran into the hallway that would lead them to the exit. As Hanna predicted, dark troopers began flooding the hallway.

Zenit responded by firing a beam of pure lightning from his hands that jumped from trooper to trooper, creating a massive shockwave and knocking them over.

"It's almost like bowling!" Zenit chuckled.

As they reached the outside world, however, they noticed something. "What in the world is that thing?!" Sam said, pointing at a huge, dark hurricane in the distance.

"Whatever it is, let's go blow it up!" Bob said.

Everyone agreed with Bob for once, and that's why they were running through the forest a few seconds later.

Zenit was flying overhead, being their eyes in the sky. Sam and Nebula were sitting on Bob's shoulders, the bulky warbot not hindered in any way while Sam and Nebula kept their weapons ready in case anything would pop up.

Zeta, in the meantime, was lost in thoughts. " _Where is Black Hole?_ " he wondered. " _And what's that tornado doing there?_ "

* * *

Meanwhile, in orbit of Cerinia, the team of fighters were still resisting Black Hole's forces when, suddenly, the shield covering the planet vanished, and dark ships stopped spawning in.

They made quick work of the dark ships that were left. "Everyone, let's head on to Cerinia!" Falco said.

"Can't let you do that, Star _Freaks_!"

Falco sighed. "Wolf, I know you're a jackass who can't keep his nose out of other people's business but being rude? That's new."

Wolf did not respond. A few seconds later, the group of ships detected four unidentified aircrafts entering the area.

It was the Star Wolf team. Panther Caruso, Leon Powalski, Wolf O' Donnell and... Andrew Oikonny?

"Oikonny? Didn't they kick you off the team for your horrible piloting skills?" Katt said.

It stayed awfully quiet. The Star Wolf ships, their design something that none of the heroes had seen before, suddenly scattered. Each of them chose a target and began to open fire.

"What's with these guys? Normally they'd be taunting us all the time." Slippy said as Amanda forced Panther to retreat.

"True, Slippy. What bothers me more though is the fact that they're attacking us. What possible motive do they have? I mean, they live from the Lylat system, Lylat disappearing would be disastrous to team Star Wolf." Miyu thought out loud.

"Perhaps Black Hole made them an offer?" Fay thought out loud.

"No, Wolf's corrupt, but not stupid. I'd guess they're being manipulated." Bill said.

"Whatever it is, we need these guys gone, and fast." Alister said as he performed breakneck maneuvers to keep Leon off his back.

"Everyone? This guy become surprisingly good." Dash pointed out as he was having trouble dodging Oikonny's attacks.

"Oikonny? Good? That's impossible, so I think your theory is as good as proven, Bill." Katt said.

"Well, manipulated or not, we've got a solar system to save, we've got to move!" Falco said as he opened fire on Wolf, who was chasing Katt.

It turned into a heated dogfight. Strangely, although team Star Wolf was greatly outnumbered, they had no trouble keeping the pressure on the heroes.

And then one of them made a mistake. "Hey, _Lucy_!" Leon taunted. "How's your _daddy_? How's your m _ommy_? How are your _grandparents_? I know! They're fine... in hell!"

Lucy exploded. Her ship suddenly turned around and she charged straight at Leon. She opened fire and destroyed his engines. "Get back to whatever rock you came under from, you miserable insect!" she spat.

"Way to go, Lucy." Amanda said. "Only three left!"

"Make that two." Falco said as he and Bill teamed up and managed to take down Oikonny.

Katt, Slippy and Alister were also working together, and succeeded in bringing down Panther.

That left only Wolf. Versus a miniature army. Needless to say Wolf didn't last long.

"Great job, people! Now, onwards!" Falco said as he shot into Cerinia's atmosphere, the other ships following him.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the surface, night was falling on the planet. They were still a good few miles from the hurricane, but since they'd need to save their energy, they decided to set up a camp.

While Tiger and Fox went looking for wood, Simon built up the tents. Granted, he didn't have any with them, but Final Eclipse managed to make a few.

Ratchet, Angela and Krystal were making dinner, Krystal's knowledge of her home planet proving extremely useful information. Whenever Krystal found an edible plant or berry, the Princess of Light would purify it with her staff.

After dinner had both been made and eaten, They decided to take turns sleeping.

"I'll take the first shift." Simon said. "Thanks to my sword, I don't need sleep. Final Eclipse is providing enough energy. I think that Ratchet, Angela, Fox and Krystal should rest all night, having been through a lot in the past few hours."

Tiger nodded. "Understood, wake me up when it's my turn to be on the lookout." she said before disappearing into her tent.

Ratchet and Angela disappeared into their tent as well. Ratchet helped her lay down. "Are you okay?" he asked as he lay down next to her.

"Yeah, just... really tired. I can barely keep my eyes open." Angela responded.

"Then don't. Just sleep."

Too late, Angela had already fallen asleep. Ratchet chuckled, then fell asleep himself.

Meanwhile in the tent to them, Fox and Krystal were also lying in bed, although Fox had wrapped his arms around Krystal.

"Is... is everything alright, Fox?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm just so happy. So, so very happy."

Krystal smiled. She snuggled up to him, and together they fell asleep.

Meanwhile, outside, Simon was lying on one of the fallen trees that they had used to sit on. The campfire casted everything in an orange glow.

Simon stared up at the stars and let his mind wander off for a moment. He just thought. He thought of the countless unexplored worlds out there. He thought of the worlds that he did know, and how someone on those planets could be watching the same stars.

The Princess of Light was sitting on the other three. "You know, you should really go to sleep. I got this." Simon asked.

"No, no, I don't have to. Same reason as you, weapon of light radiates energy. I can't leave you here by yourself if I can help."

Simon chuckled. "If you wish to help I won't stop you."

"Thank you."

Photon suddenly jumped onto Simon's chest. The cat gave him a knowing look before curling up above Simon's stomach and falling asleep. Simon chuckled and scratched Photon behind his left ear. "You really are unique, huh?" he said to the sleeping cat.

"Soo... what happens next?" the Princess of Light asked.

"Next, we find and stop Black Hole."

"But how?"

"That's a worry for another day."

"True." she responded.

Simon stared into the fire. "If I may ask, do you have a name? A name besides 'Princess of Light'?"

"Alcyone." she replied absentmindedly, staring into the flames. "My name is Alcyone."

"Alcyone?"

"Yes?"

"That's quite a beautiful name."

"Why, thank you."

"Is something bothering you?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"What's wrong?"

"Angela, and Ratchet... I never knew there were any Lombaxes left. I always presumed myself to be the last. It gives me hope that I know that I'm not the last, or perhaps not yet, but it also bothers me."

"Why does it bother you?"

"It brings back painful memories."

"Perhaps I can help you?"

"No, I don't think you can."

"I disagree. Perhaps telling your story will do you some good. Nevertheless, if you don't want to, then by all means say no. I don't want to force you to do anything you're not ready for."

"I agree, it's time to share my story." she said, sighing. "Long, long ago, when I was but a little girl, I had a family. A good family. A happy family.

My father's name was Atlas, and my mother was named Pleione. I also had many sisters: Electra, Maia, Merope, Taygeta, Celaeno, Sterope, and my youngest sister was named Asterope. She was a baby when it happened.

"What happened?"

"The Cragmite." she said with pure hatred in her voice. "My family was living on planet Zoness, but it wasn't far enough. He found us... and killed them all. My mother and six of my sisters were killed, Maia's body was never found, and my dad... he challenged Tachyon... and never returned. I managed to get away from the massacre. I was able to steal a ship, but, of course, being a child, I couldn't control the ship.

I crashed on Ceinia. The Cerinians found me, and raised me like I was one of their own. When Tachyon came to search for me, they even hid me in a hidden room in a hidden temple in the mountains. Needless to say Tachyon left empty-handed, and never returned.

With how they cared about me, I swore to protect this world. And that's how I ended up this way. And how are your friends related to all this, well, Lombaxes have begun to remind me of what happened to my family, or what could have happened to me."

Simon stayed quiet. "Wow, what a story."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way. It was a long story, but I never minded listening to your story."

"Oh, that's a relief."

Simon stared at the stars. "You know, tomorrow everything will be better.

"Do you think?"

"I'm certain. And when this Is over, we're going to look for Maia. Together. Okay?"

Alcyone smiled. "Okay."

"Alright. Let's make the future better."


	16. The Last Stand(ing)

**Alright, people, we're getting close to the ending of Epilogue 2. Before I continue, something about the future of the Epilogue series: after this story ends, I'm taking a break from the Epilogue series to focus on Zoniborn, it's been way too long since I updated that story. When I get back to the Epilogue series, Epilogue 3 will begin, a short story set in the Sonic universe for a change. After that there'll be a collection of one-shots and short stories followed by the final installment in the series, Epilogue 4. After that, who knows, I might start a sequel series named Prologue if the Epilogue series stays popular enough.**

 **Anyhow, moving on, the reviews:**

 **Destiny W: "** **This was a great chapter, I can't wait for the next one."  
Well, wait no more, it's here! Enjoy!**

 **Zeta warrior 16: " _I love the princesses name I'm loving how this story is coming out_ "  
Her name is a reference to the Pleiades cluster actually, the star Alcyone being the brightest of the group. The Pleiades play an important role in mythology all around the world, for instance there's an old legend that the seven brightest stars were once seven women that snuck away from the camp one night to dance beneath the stars, but they were ambushed by bears. They fled onto a rock, and prayed to the rock for safety. The rock began to grow, and although the bears tried to climb up, they began to slide down, leaving long scratch marks in the rock before eventually falling down. The seven women were transformed into the Pleiades, which can be seen hanging above the rock from the legend, devil's tower, in mid-winter. Another story is that of the hunter Orion, who noticed the seven beautiful daughters of Atlas and Pleione. He chased after them for years, and when the sisters finally got exhaused of the chase, they prayed to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, for help. Zeus transformed them into birds and placed them into the sky. Aside from myths, the Pleiades were also used as an eye test eons ago. Anyhow, thank you once again, and I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter.  
**

 **john walaszek1: "** ** _That was a quick fight against Star Wolf, but with disabled engines, they would crash on Cerinia I hope. The search for Black Hole has begun...and let's hope our heroes can find him and stop him before the whole Lylat System vanishes._ "  
Well, Star Wolf did find themselves outnumbered. However, their G-diffusers still work so they're stranded in orbit, we'll check back later. Anyhow, indeed, time is not on the heroes' side, they're gonna have to hurry.**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _Well, here we go now. It appears that we're nearing the showdown...one that's worth the wait. And all those times I claimed that Black Hole couldn't do it. Well, only...(hears a noise, looks over and sees that Travel The Days is sitting next to the desk. A lone thought passes through head. "Must resist urge. Must resist urge. Must resist urge.")  
Max out.  
P.S. ...  
P.P.S. ...  
P.P.P.S. ...  
P.P.P.P.S. Aww screw it, I'm looking_"  
Travel The Days? Well, I don't think it'll help you, no matter how many times you use it. The reason for why I think so will become clear at the end of this chapter. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **Jadzia Kira Dax: "** ** _Yay, Fox is going to be alright! Wonderful, no, fantastic, nu uh, beyond awesome chapter! The new OC is intriguing and I've never read about a character quite like Zeta before!  
P. S. I suspect that Qwark was thrown into a wall, too...  
P. S. S. I really hope there is a sequel! The Ratchet and Clank series can't end there! There is still a lot left to be explored in the reboot, such as what Nefarious will do next, if Ratchet can find other Lombaxes, and what the next adventure will be._"  
Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter just as much.  
P.S. In the reboot, Qwark actually isn't that stupid, he's more a... an attention addict rather than a dumbass. I must say I like Qwark in the reboot better than in the original series.  
P.S.S. I hope so too! Although I don't think Ratchet will ever find the Lombaxes, not on screen at least. It's a carrot that he's always after, if he'd find them, it'd likely be the end of the series. I do hope he'll find his relatives though.**

 **Heather: "** ** _Again, amazing chapter, and I am so glad that Fox is going to be alright! And Krystal, too! I just got my PS4( delivery was SLOW)! Ratchet and Clank game came too and I'm very happy with it!_ "  
I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I'm happy to hear you're enjoying the PS4 game. My good friend going by the online name of Agent-Daniel_46 is currently playing it and don't ask me why, but he's born to break games. In just a couple of hours he has broken the game more times than I can count! What's more, he recorded it all, so here's hoping I can make a funny video of it for him. The last funny video I made featured him too, and guess what? Indeed, it was about a weird glitch. Anyhow, enjoy!**

 **saviour of worlds: " _Things finally went as planned this time. Fox is back, the shield is broken. Angela is also fine... It almost looks as if the story is going to end next chapter already! Bob wouldn't like that. I think he wants to blow up more before the story ends! But of course the story doesn't end next chapter. Also, it is great to see wolf again... crashed... embarrassed... salty... Better luck next time Wolf!_**

 ** _Again, I really enjoyed this chapter. Just like all the others! I can't wait until it's Saturday! (again)_**

 ** _P.S: interesting name, Alcyone, and an interesting story about her as well. What mysteries does she keep from us?..._ " _  
_Oh, Wolf's salty alright, but not because he was defeated... Also, Alcyone isn't keeping secrets, she just hasn't told much about herself yet. Anyhow, enjoy!**

* * *

Ratchet woke up with a yawn. He shook his head and opened his eyes. Angela was already awake, and was sitting on her sleeping bag. "Are you finally awake?"

"Not really, only half."

"Well it's a start. Anyhow, you should really go outside for a moment."

Ratchet got out of his sleeping bag and put on his armour. He had just slept in his jeans and T-shirt, not that it really bothered him, as long as he could sleep. When he was all geared up he walked out of the tent, Angela following him.

Outside, Ratchet immediately noticed the many aircrafts parked around their camping site. Simon was standing by what had been a campfire. He turned around. "You're finally awake!"

Ratchet's ears lowered. "Oh, give me a break!"

Simon laughed. "Don't worry, I'm glad you had some good sleep. You've got to be in mint condition, because today's the day Black Hole will die."

"Finally?"

"Yes."

"Hate to interrupt, but what's our plan of attack?" Katt asked, who came walking over to them.

"Black Hole likely has something to do with that dark hurricane in the distance. I've made a little gadget that pinpoints the biggest source of evil on this planet, and it also points at the hurricane. That's where we need to go."

"But when we're there, then what?"

"That's a worry for later."

Katt nodded. She walked over to Falco's ship, the ace pilot still sleeping soundly in the pilot's seat. She knocked on the window. "Falco, wake up."

Falco's eyes twitched, but other than that, nothing happened. Katt slammed her fist against the cockpit. "WAKEY WAKEY, KNUCKLEHEAD!"

That sure woke him up. Falco's eyes shot open and he got up immediately. Maybe even a bit too fast, he accidentally hit his head against the dashboard.

"KATT, YOU SONUVA-"

"Later, feathers. We've got a job to do, and we're leaving now. Plus, it's guaranteed to be a hard fight. Perhaps some of us won't even make it." she said as she walked away.

That made Falco think. "Some of us... won't make it." he mumbled.

He jumped out of his aircraft. "Katt, wait!"

Katt stopped. "What is it?"

Falco grinned nervously. "Can... can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Yeah, why?"

"In private?"

"Okay..." Katt replied. She followed Falco into the forest until he stopped, the camp was out of hearing range.

"Alright, what's up?"

"Katt, what do you think of me?"

Katt frowned, that was a highly unusual question for Falco to ask. "Well, I find you smug. Really, really smug."

"Well..." Falco said. "I'm... afraid."

"You? _You_ , out of all people, are afraid?"

"Well... I always act so tough... because I was afraid you wouldn't like me otherwise."

"What?"

"Yeah, it's pathetic, I know. And I guess I went a little overboard with the tough guy attitude."

Katt laughed. "A _little_?"

"I said it's pathetic."

"No. It's sweet. Stupid, but sweet. But Falco, you don't have to act tough to be tough, and certainly not to be my friend. I'm not saying you should be a softie because that's not who you are, I'm just saying there's a fine line between being cool and being annoying, and you're crossing that line. You're constantly exaggerating, and you shouldn't do that. Just be who you are."

"I actually wasn't expecting that answer, I was expecting you to laugh at me."

"Falco, I'm not an asshole, I know when I have to be a friend. And for the record, you don't have to exaggerate your behavior to earn my respect. You've already earned my respect, Falco. You fight for the sake of others, and you fight for your friends. You may come across as rough but you're a good person."

"Katt... there's one last thing you have to know." Falco said, remembering the fact that they could die here.

"What's on your mind?"

"I like you. And I want to tell you know, because I'm afraid that when fighting Black Hole, you'll..."

Katt sighed, and nodded. "I like you too, Falco. Always have, and I think you know."

Falco laughed. "I bet half of the galaxy knows."

Katt punched his arm. "Don't push it." she said with a grin. Then her grin faded. "Falco."

"Yeah?"

"Be... be careful out there, okay?"

"I will. I would say 'take care yourself too', but you know I got your back, right?"

"Of course I do. And I'll cover you."

"Alright then."

Meanwhile, Simon was packing up the tents. He had created them using Final Eclipse, and on his command, the matter was transformed back into energy and entered the sword again.

"Is everyone ready?"

Everyone, including Falco and Katt, nodded.

"Alright. Let's do this!"

Alister, Lucy, Slippy, Amanda, Miyu, Katt, Dash and Falco got into their ships. Angela, Ratchet, Krystal, Fox, Simon, Photon, Alcyone and Tiger prepared to travel on foot.

"Ready, Krys?" Fox asked.

Krystal laughed. "Please, I know this planet like the back of my hand. I'll be fine."

Together the seven people plus one cat walked into the forest. It was awfully quiet, and there were no signs of animals whatsoever, something that bothered Krystal. Usually the forests would be swarming with wildlife, such as tiny critters and the occasional larger predator, but this time, there was nothing.

Then she noticed a flash of blue out of the corner of her eye. She looked and saw something blue sprinting off. She ran after it immediately, leaving the others behind, although they'd run after her almost immediately.

Why was Krystal so interested in this creature? She had felt it's strong aura, this was undoubtedly a Cerinian.

Finally the creature stopped. Krystal stopped behind it. The creature turned around, and Krystal gasped.

"A-Arthur?"

Arthur just stared at her with a bewildered expression. Then he grabbed his spear and aimed the sharp end at Krystal's throat. "Arthur?! What are you doing?!"

Arthur slowly began to move closer, forcing Krystal to back off. "Arthur, no!"

Arthur did not stop. "Arthur, listen to me! Look at me! It's me, it's Krystal! It's your sister!"

Still no response. "Remember me!" Krystal desperately yelled. Suddenly, Fox ran past her, and with one quick motion, he pulled the spear out of Arthur's hands. He quickly kicked Arthur in the face, knocking him out.

Now that Arthur was down, Fox could get a good look at him. Krystal's brother was strongly-built, likely a warrior. Arthur had blue fur, like Krystal, and short blue hair. He also had a scar over his right eye.

"Fox!" Krystal yelled. "What were you thinking?! He's my brother!"

"Fox did the right thing." Simon spoke behind her. "This entire planet has become evil, including it's inhabitants. They have been reduced to mindless monsters. Fox did well by knocking out your brother, he's no longer a problem while not having sustained any serious injuries."

Krystal collapsed. "So everyone I know, even my own family, will try to kill me?!"

Fox hurried over to her. "Krys, calm down. They'll all go back to normal once we get rid of that Black Hole guy."

"Indeed." Simon said. "We should keep moving."

* * *

Meanwhile the aircrafts had reached the hurricane. "Alright, now what?" Dash asked.

"I don't know." Falco truthfully replied.

Suddenly, a terrible laugh echoed through the area. Thousands of hands made of darkness shot from the hurricane, grabbed the ships, and slammed them into the ground before the pilots could even react.

Meanwhile the other group, Bob, Zeta, Hanna, Sam, Zenit and Nebula, reached the hurricane, and the other group, Simon, Photon, Alcyone, Ratchet, Angela, Fox, Krystal and Tiger, arrived a few minutes later.

Everyone gasped as they saw their friends' ships half-buried. Ratchet noticed Alister's ship. He ran over to it, and looked inside. He immediately grabbed his wrench and pried the cockpit open.

"Ratchet." Alister managed to groan. Alister was hurt, he had several broken bones and his legs were trapped. He was dying.

Meanwhile Fox had ran over to Falco's ship. He looked inside, and stumbled backwards. Krystal ran over to him. "Fox! Is everything okay?!"

"No." Fox stammered. "And it won't ever be okay again."

Krystal looked through the cockpit window and gasped. Falco was dying as well, he was barely conscious. She reached out to him with her telepathic powers. " _Falco!_ "

" _What the?! Krystal?!_ "

" _Yes, it's me. Falco, just hold on, we'll get you fixed up._ "

" _Don't. I know when my time has come, Krys. I have one last request._ "

" _Anything._ "

" _Look after Fox for me, okay? Don't ever turn your back on him, because he doesn't deserve that. He deserves a good life. I may come across as an ass, and I may have acted towards Fox as a rival, but he's my friend. And you are too._ "

" _Beautiful words. Falco?_ "

Falco did not respond. Krystal bowed her head. "I promise." she muttered.

Meanwhile Ratchet came walking back from Alister's ship. "Alister... he's gone." Ratchet said, ears lowered.

The Princess of Light bowed her head. "I sense no life on any of the ships. They have passed away." she said, sadness clearly present in her voice. "I can only wish for their souls to find peace."

Suddenly, Black Hole's laugh echoed through the area. The hurricane disappeared, and Black Hole himself came flying out, landing in the middle of the clearing that the hurricane had made.

"How pathetic." he laughed.

Simon grabbed his sword. "You." he said, voice filled with disgust. As one they walked forward: Ratchet, Angela, Photon, Simon, Alcyone, Tiger, Fox, Krystal, Nebula, Sam, Hanna, Zenit and Zeta. And every single one of them was staring at Black Hole in anger, disgust, or both.

Black Hole simply stood there, and waited, with his arms crossed. He was wearing another ripoff of Hypernova with the same colour scheme: black with blood red.

"You've got nowhere to run." Ratchet growled.

"You've lost." Angela added. "All of the planets you've attacked are being freed as we speak."

However, to everyone's surprise, Black Hole started to laugh. "See for yourself, pathetic mortal!"

A portal opened in front of Black Hole. Most of the planets in Lylat were visible, and everyone watched in horror as Fichina broke apart, then Sauria, followed by Aquas, Zoness, Katina, and lastly, Corneria.

"B-but what about-" Ratchet started, but Black Hole interrupted him. "What about that pathetic rescue team? Well..."

The portal then showed a true nightmare scenario. Hovering over a broken Corneria was a field of debris, metal parts everywhere, but the most frightening thing were the Lombaxes everywhere. Some of them were even missing parts of their body, but they all shared one thing: a lack of a pulse.

The portal then showed Fastoon. Or, what was left of it, the planet and it's moon had been broken into pieces. Then the portal showed Veldin, which was also in pieces.

Black Hole laughed again. "And the icing on the cake..."

Ratchet gasped. The portal showed Clank. Broken into pieces, and hovering in space.

Ratchet was overcome with an indescribable amount of anger. He would tear this guy apart with his bare hands!

Ratchet charged at Black Hole with a loud war cry. "Ratchet, don't-" Simon tried to warn, but it was too late.

Black Hole merely stepped out of the way. A sword made of crimson energy formed in Black Hole's hands. With inhuman speed he shot forward and grabbed Ratchet's collar before smacking him against the ground. "You will no longer stand in my way, Champion!" he yelled as he raised his sword.

Everyone stormed forward in an attempt to stop him, but they suddenly found themselves unable to move. "It's about _time_ for a break, don't you think?" Black Hole replied with a short chuckle before he brought his sword down on Ratchet. "No!" Angela yelled, but it was too late. Ratchet was dead.

Angela suddenly broke free. She grabbed Ratchet's wrench and charged at Black Hole. "I'll _murder_ you!" she roared. Suddenly, Black Hole was right in front of her. He grabbed her throat and lifted her off the ground. "Did you think you could even _damage_ me? I HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO RIVAL A GOD!"

"You're no God, you're a smug little prick, a pest that deserves to be exterminated." Angela replied through gritted teeth as she fought for air.

Black Hole laughed. "Well, well, well, I must say I'm impressed! Actually, scratch that, I'm not impressed, I'm just very eager to kill you!"

He grabbed his sword, and everyone was forced to watch as he stabbed Angela in the heart. He dropped her on top of Ratchet, then turned to the rest of the group. "And now, let's even the odds a little, shall we?"

Black Hole's sword disappeared. He flew high into the air, and a ball of deep crimson energy formed in his hands. Suddenly, a beam of crimson energy shot from the energy ball and swept across the group. Black Hole landed and unfroze time around the heroes. Immediately everyone collapsed, save for Photon, Simon and Alcyone.

"No!" Simon yelled.

"What happened?!" Alcyone asked.

"His energy... it killed them. The only reason we're still alive is because of our light weapons, and Photon is alive because he can tap into my sword's power, using it to protect himself."

Photon looked around in sadness. Everyone was dead. The people he considered his friends, his family, they were all gone. All but two.

The cat focused on Black Hole. He let out a loud roar, louder than you'd expect from such a cat that size.

Photon seemed to transform. Glowing claws formed on his paws, he grew bigger, and his teeth got longer. Photon let out an ear-deafening roar and charged at Black Hole.

Suddenly, Photon froze in mid-air. Black Hole laughed. "Ooh, are you really going to let your _cat_ do all the work? Now, now, what a dumb one too! Most cats would run off, but no, this one ran straight to it's doom. Farewell!"

Black Hole stabbed his sword through Photon.

"No!" Simon yelled. He tried to run forward, but was stopped by an invisible barrier. "Photon, no!"

Photon collapsed, and didn't get back up.

"Photon, please, get up!" Simon yelled, but it was no use.

Black Hole laughed. "I think you already know who's next on the list, and I think you know what I have in store for this universe. Once I've gotten rid of you, I'll take over this universe and bring it to it's knees. First, I'll let people believe that I'll spare them, but then I'll rip them all apart when I tear this universe asunder. And once this universe has been annihilated, I'll move on to the next, and the next, and the next. And I'll make it even better for you!"

Another portal opened. This time, it showed a different world. A blue planet with a gray moon.

Earth.

Simon watched as a cloud of darkness began to envelop the planet. "Soon, your world will have been reduced to nothing but dust. You will die knowing that you have failed not only your entire race, but this whole universe."

Alcyone suddenly stepped forward. "That's enough." she hissed. She grabbed her staff, and it began to shine. Black Hole took a step back. "A weapon of light, huh?" he said.

Then he laughed. "You know, you actually could defeat me with that thing, if it weren't for the fact that you're so PATHETIC!"

Suddenly, Alcyone was launched backwards. She got up, but when she tried to run forward and grab her staff, which was lying on the ground in front of her, she found herself trapped in glass. She looked up and realized in shock horror that she was in a huge hourglass.

Black Hole took a step towards Simon. "Your turn."

Black Hole tried to to the same trick again, but suddenly, he was launched backwards. He got up, confused. "What?!"

Simon was standing there, Final Eclipse ready. Black Hole watched as the grass and the forest around Simon began to turn green once again rather than sickly black.

"I will stop you, here, once and for all." Simon said.

Black Hole grinned evilly under his helmet. "Tick-tack."

Simon glanced over his shoulder, and saw that Alcyone had been trapped in the bottom half of a hourglass. Sand was pouring in from the upper half.

"If you wish to stop me, then go right ahead, but while I have all the time in the world, I do think you're a bit short on time!" Black Hole said with a laugh. "So hurry up, or that friend of yours, the only one you have left, will have an excellent lesson in breathing sand!"

Simon reached down and grabbed Alcyone's staff. "He glared daggers at Black Hole as he moved the staff closer to Final Eclipse. "You have killed countless people, you have ruined my life, but you will never, EVER, touch my friends!"

"And what are you gonna do? You weak, little mortal?"

Simon grinned. "Together we heroes stand strong, but the same counts for our weaponry."

When the Staff of Light and Final Eclipse made contact, the two weapons suddenly vanished in a bright flash. Then, nothing.

Black Hole burst into hysterical laughter. "That, was the single most pathetic thing I have ever seen!"

Simon simply crossed his arms over his chest and stood there. "Ah, this has taken long enough, I'll just kill you now." Black Hole said as he charged forward, but upon reaching Simon he was launched backwards. As he got up, he watched as Simon suddenly turned into a golden statue of himself. "What the f-"

Suddenly, the statue shattered with a bright flash. Black Hole watched in shock as a colossal version of Simon arose from the light.

(Author's note: I recommend listening to the track 'Vs. Primal Groudon/Kyogre' from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, it kinda is the theme I chose for whatever Simon is turning into.)

Simon was as tall as a skyscraper. He was wearing armour made of golden and white metal, and he had a pair of metal, angelic wings.

His hair had turned golden, and his eyes were bright blue. Furthermore, he was holding a huge weapon. It was white with golden, it had a huge blade along with golden spikes on the side. (Author's note: I'll make a drawing of it and post it on DeviantArt)

Black Hole immediately flew up into the sky and attempted to hit Simon with his sword, but Black Hole suddenly found himself frozen in mid-air. "H-how is this possible?! I can control time! Why can't I free myself?!" he cried out.

Simon shook his head. "You are such a pathetic creature. That you even dare to compare yourself to a God while you are nothing more than a foolish little man hiding behind a suit that you didn't even design yourself. Angela was right, you are a little pest. And no matter what you do, evil will never prevail. I will make sure of that."

Simon bowed his head, then suddenly raised his weapon. A beam of golden energy shot from the weapon, and immediately Cerinia turned green again.

Fastoon, Veldin, and every planet in Lylat had been rebuilt, including Titania. However, Simon could not bring back the deceased, as much as he wanted to, it was beyond his powers.

He then turned to Black Hole again and punched the villain out of the sky. "What _are_ you?!" Black Hole stammered.

"I have fused myself with Hypernova the energy of the life weapons and the universe itself, and added my own energy to the equation. I have turned into a being with powers beyond your comprehension, one that I have named the Golden Guardian. If you wish to destroy this universe, you will first have to get past _me_."

"But Hypernova was destroyed!"

The Golden Guardian grinned. "Did you really think that I'd be stupid enough to not make backups? I knew what cards I would be holding before the game even started. I know exactly what I am capable of, and I know exactly what limits there are to your powers. You've lost, Derrick."

Black Hole roared. "Don't you dare call me by that name!"

The Golden Guardian shook his head. "I know exactly who you are, and I know exactly what you did. And finally I have learned who I am, and why I am here. I know exactly what happened, and today, jealous, tiny little Derrick, is the day on which you will pay for your crimes."

"DON'T. CALL. ME-"

The Golden Guardian simply lowered his hand and Black Hole was slammed against the ground. "I SHALL CALL YOU WHATEVER I WISH TO CALL YOU!" he roared. "YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME."

Black Hole got up and readied his weapons. "Bring it on."

The Golden Guardian raised his weapon. "Very well."

* * *

 **Alright, the final showdown! I bet you all weren't expecting that to happen, Simon turning into something way more powerful than Black Hole, and... everyone but Simon and Alcyone dying...  
**

 **...please forgive me. Trust me on this, folks, I know _exactly_ what I'm doing.**

 **Also, I've started a new story recently in the Ratchet & Clank archive named True Heroes. It isn't quite popular right now, so if any of you have a moment, it'd make my day if you'd check it out. It's a partial rewrite of the PS4 game's plot, I'm adding scenes from the movie as well as totally new scenes. However, the biggest change is that I'm adding Hypernova to the equation...**

 **Also, Max Chronicle, why I don't think Travel The Days will work is because the Golden Guardian has enough power to create entire universes in the blink of an eye, and that's not even the maximum of his power. He can become stronger, taking on one last form. That form will have to wait for later though...  
**


	17. The Fate of Reality

**Everyone, first off, I'm terribly sorry for being two days late with this chapter. Please allow me to explain: last Saturday was the birthday of a good friend of mine, and thus I spent the whole day at his party, and thus I had totally forgotten about this story. I spent Sunday trying to help out the same friend, he was having trouble with his PlayStation Network account.  
**

 **Anyhow, despite being late, here's chapter 17. I hope y'all aren't mad at me for being late... or for killing off everyone save for Simon and Alcyone...**

 **Erm... I should probably get to the reviews.**

 **Zeta warrior 16: "** ** _Wow  
That was...  
Unexpected  
Btw you can use zeta and Sam in any story you make you earned my trust with them_"  
Unexpected? Well, that puts it nicely, I suppose. Also, you've given me permission to use Zeta and Sam? Wow, I... I honestly don't know what to say, I'm honored! Anyhow, enjoy the next chapter, I hope it lives up to your expectations.**

 **john walaszek1: "** ** _The final battle has begun! It's all up to The Golden Guardian to stop Black Hole once and for all._ "  
Exactly. If the Golden Guardian fails, literally everything, basically reality itself, will be destroyed. But can he do it?**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I can't wait to read how things go down in the next chapter._ "  
Well, wait no more! Enjoy!**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _First, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (Continues for an indefinite amount of time.) (Gather breaths for one final scream...but not of pain, of POWER)  
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (Continues for three minutes. "Reconstructing quote time.")  
"I'm sorry that was so much more awesome than the others. But this is what I call Golden Guardian."  
SPIZ 3. In every sense of the word. Now I have a question to ask: "Should we continue with the numbers or travel to the 'Spiz' of a deity?"  
Max out.  
P.S. When I have time, I'll go check out 'True Heroes', sounds fun._"  
Well... since there is an infinite amount of combinations if an ininite amount of numbers can be used, I suppose spiz can go on to infinity. Dang, I could nearly begin go make mathematical formula's with it! Spiz_Level equals plot multiplied by epicness... did I just make the first formula to calculate spiz? Okay, this is becoming confusing, but it's nothing compared to this chapter. Enjoy!**

 **saviour of worlds: " _…_**

 _ **Well...**_

 _ **I'm speechless, shocked and out of tacos.**_

 _ **That went downhill, no down a ravine VERY quickly. Forget what I said in my previous review. Things are NOT going well. Also, I think that we all created an OC so he/she would help kicking black hole's ass instead of dying on arrival.**_  
 _ **But, you said that you know EXACTLY what you're doing so,.. are our characters going to kick his ass anyway? Oh well. Guess I have to wait for the next chapter.**_

 ** _But now, I'm off getting new tacos..._ "  
Well, can't live without taco's, right? As for your hypothesis, just read on... enjoy!**

 **Jadzia Ezri Dax: "** ** _I really enjoyed this chapter and although I am sorry to see the Epilogue series being postponed, I am glad to see Zoniborn Is going to be continued! I also read one of your newer stories and I think it's awesome!  
P. S. Yeah, Quark IS an attention addict. And I agree, the new Qwark is much, much, MUCH better than the original Qwark. The original Qwark was CLEARLY thrown at a wall as a baby. The NEW Qwark, not so much...  
P. S. S. I wish you good luck with Zoniborn! And may you live long and prosper! :)_**

 ** _I also forgot to add that I changed my nickname again. It's a bad habit of mine. Anyway, again, amazing chapter and Photon is cute and cuddly as always!_ "  
The Epilogue series is not being postponed, I'm just taking a break from the series to regain some inspiration, I've currently got a lot of inspiration for Zoniborn, so...  
P.S.S. Thank you! I wish you good luck with any project you may work on now or in the future, and may you live long and prosper too.  
Also, I don't mind if you change your nickname, as long as you're happy with it. As for Photon, I recently got Little Big Planet 3 for the PS4, and I already made the perfect Photon skin! With the right technology, he can even run on all fours, but otherwise he walks on two legs and can use gadgets. Not that that's very surprising, Photon is extremely intelligent. Anyhow, I'll be making a few video's for YouTube in which Photon is having fun, and I might even make a level in which you play as Photon, his abilities being the ability to wall jump, fast running, and, of course, being cute and cuddly.**

 **Anyhow, this chapter is already late, so let's get to it.**

* * *

Black Hole readied his sword while the world around him slowly became corrupted, slowly losing it's color.

Meanwhile the Golden Guardian just stood there. That is, until he heard a voice.

"Simon!"

He glanced over his shoulder, at Alcyone, who was stuck inside the hourglass. "Help me!" she yelled.

The Golden Guardian shook his head. "I can't. The second I touch that glass it'll shatter into a trillion razor-sharp pieces, turning you into a pin cushion. However, if I defeat Black Hole, the entire hourglass will vanish."

She sighed and nodded. "Just... hurry up, okay? And don't... don't die."

The Golden Guardian laughed. "Did you really think that pathetic little pest stands a _chance_ against me?"

Black Hole used the distraction to his advantage by charging at the Golden Guardian's neck, however, said giant defender of the universe knew exactly what his enemy was up to. A huge, golden hand grabbed the villain out of the sky and began to crush him. Black Hole screamed and squirmed, but he couldn't break loose.

The Golden Guardian crushed him to dust. However, the hourglass did not disappear.

"Then it isn't over yet." the Guardian mumbled.

He stepped out of the way of a beam of darkness just in time. Looking up at the sky, he saw an entire army of Black Holes. The villains laughed in unison. "How about this, I can control an entire army of these suits at once!"

The Guardian let out a thundering laugh. "You really don't get it, do you? You. Can't. Damage. Me."

"We'll see." The villains yelled as they all charged up a beam of darkness. The combined beam of darkness could indeed cause significant damage, so the Guardian raised his sword, and a golden aura formed around him that took the blast. Immediately the thousands of Black Holes scattered and began to attack the Guardian from all sides. "You're all alone!" they yelled.

"On the contrary." Simon said with a grin as he summoned his aura again, blowing away the villains. He spread his wings and slammed his sword into the ground. He closed his eyes and let his hands rest on his weapon.

Suddenly, a golden-colored hurricane formed around their battlefield. Everything turned a bit golden.

And suddenly, the ground in front of the Guardian began to glow. Half-transparent, glowing versions of Ratchet, Angela, Photon, Fox, Krystal, Bob, Zeta, Sam, Hanna, Nebula, Tiger, Falco, Alister, Slippy, Amanda, Katt, literally everyone that had been on their team formed in front of him.

And they didn't look happy.

"What... what the frick is that?!"

"I summon forth the fallen heroes that have battled alongside me. Before they will embrace eternity, I have asked them to stand aside me one last time. The epilogue of their journey, the dawn of a new era for this universe."

Immediately the golden ghosts of the heroes shot up into the sky and began to fight the Black Holes.

"Now I can finally do this!" the spirit of Bob yelled as he made a Black Hole explode by planting bombs inside of the villain's armour. Bob sprinted away in slow-motion as the bombs detonated.

"What are you doing?" Falco asked, who was floating upside down.

"Havin' the time of my afterlife!"

"Hm. I can't get upright."

Meanwhile Ratchet and Angela and Fox and Krystal were battling the evil alongside the one they loved most. Their teamwork was unrivaled, their accuracy impeccable, their speed unmatched.

Then the Golden Guardian charged up again, and a beam of golden-coloured light shot up at the sky. Immediately all of the spirits felt stronger, faster, smarter.

The Black Holes attempted to charge at the Golden Guardian, but the spirits defended him, letting no enemy pass. It was one huge storm of golden-coloured energy.

And then, at last, the last Black Hole fell. However, the hourglass still didn't disappear, and it began to worry Simon, Alcyone was already half-buried in the sand, and judging by her expression, she was frightened.

Then the golden hurricane disappeared. The Golden Guardian quickly summoned his aura to keep the spirits where they were needed.

A column of darkness shot out of the ground, and formed a titanic version of Black Hole.

"Now, together!" the Golden Guardian yelled.

As one he and the spirits charged up a ball of golden energy before firing a beam of the purest light.

The combined light was so immensely bright that it was almost as if a star had detonated itself over Cerinia, completely outshining Lylat. Thankfully the Golden Guardian had created a dome over the battlefield that kept the light inside to prevent blinding anyone. What's more, the light bounced off the walls, lighting up the whole area.

Alcyone would be fine, Simon knew. If she was able to wield a weapon of light, then light would not harm her. Not ever.

The intense light had a devastating effect, the darkness was completely eradicated.

They stopped firing, and the intense light faded, as well as the dome.

The hourglass vanished just in time, Alcyone had already been buried in the sand. She had been holding her breath before inevitably passing out due to a lack of oxygen, but it wasn't too late. The Golden Guardian simply raised his hand, and energy returned to her. She coughed and tiredly got up.

Meanwhile the spirits began to fade, having fulfilled their task. Eventually only Ratchet, Angela, and Photon remained. Simon, who was much taller than them in his current form, knelt down in front of them.

"Ratchet. Angela." he spoke. "Before you go, there is something I must say. Raising you two was the best thing that ever happened to me. You two were both so full of life, it was a joy to be around you two. And how you've both grown... I can only be so very, very proud of both of you. You have accomplished things that others would declare as impossible. I will make sure this universe remembers you two forever."

The two Lombax spirits smiled. "We are proud to have known you." Ratchet said. "And we will never, ever leave your side. We'll watch over you, laugh with you, cry with you, and wait. Wait for the day on which we'll be reunited at last, no matter if we would have to wait for eternity."

"But now we must go." Angela spoke. "Farewell, Simon Polaris."

They faded away. Simon then turned to Photon. "Photon."

"It's okay." Photon spoke. "And yes, as a spirit, I can speak. Listen, I'm not mad at you, and no matter what you do, you must never blame yourself for what happened."

"I'll miss you, my dear friend." Simon said, tears in his eyes.

Photon smiled. "I'm not leaving. I will always, always be with you. And I'm thankful for the life you've given me. It was fun, and I can't wait to watch you on your many adventures to come. Goodbye, Simon."

"Goodbye, Photon." Simon said as said cat faded away.

That's when Simon heard a cough behind him. Being the Golden Guardian, he could make himself smaller or larger. Even Hypernova had that power, let alone a far more powerful form.

He became as large as he always was and walked over to the source of the cough.

Black Hole was lying on the ground. That is, if he was wearing his armour he would be lying on the ground.

"Derrick." Simon said with a face that showed no emotion.

"I TOLD YOU TO-"

Derrick stopped talking immediately when Simon raised his sword. Derrick rolled out of the way just in time. "Whoa! Eeh... we can talk this out... right?"

"You have killed my family. You have ruined my life. You have killed all of my friends. You have attempted to destroy every universe that exists. You have tried to wipe out entire civilizations. No, Derrick, we can't talk this out. Besides, I am sick and tired of you, and honestly, beyond angry. If I wouldn't be so mentally strong I would literally let you experience all ways to die in this universe first-hand, starting with being fed to sandsharks."

Derrick's eyes widened. "No! Mercy!"

"You deserve no mercy. I have given you chance after chance, but you are so filled with evil and greed, the moment I would let you go, you'd start destroying this universe once again. This time, it'll end for good, I'll make sure of that."

Derrick attempted to get up but Simon pressed his left foot against Derrick's chest, pinning him down. "I know what you did, Derrick Parallax. I know everything. And now you're gonna pay for it." Simon said as he raised his sword and stabbed it right through Derrick. Derrick stopped moving immediately.

Simon took a deep breath. "At last, my goodness, that _asshole_ just wouldn't _die_!"

"Did you just curse?" Alcyone asked, who came running over to him.

"Yes. Normally I'd never do that, but the relief of finally having saved the universe of this bastard..."

* * *

Simon was kneeling on top of a cliff, staring out at the sun rising over the forest-covered hills of Cerinia. He was himself again, Final Eclipse strapped to his back. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you all." he mumbled.

Alcyone was sitting next to him. "Well... you've got control over time, right? Why can't you travel back in time?"

Simon shook his head. "Black Hole. He has power over time as well, he wouldn't be frozen in time and he'd become a really big problem. I can fight him, but we would be evenly matched, resulting in an infinite battle."

"But... what if I come with you?"

Simon froze. "The chances of success would be very, very slim."

"But is it worth trying, you mean? Look at it this way, is it worth trying to save your friends?"

Simon got up immediately. "Yes."

Alcyone grabbed her staff. "Then let's do this. Let's turn back the clock."

Simon and Alcyone both raised their weapons. Two beams of light fired into the air, and with a bright flash, time began to revert itself.

* * *

They found themselves in the clearing where Black Hole had been defeated. There was nobody around. "Something is wrong." Simon said immediately.

A loud laugh echoed through the area. Suddenly, the ground in the middle of the clearing split open, and a huge figure came out.

It was Derrick, but different. He was wearing black armour with deep crimson plates here and there, and he had a pair of claw-like demonic wings. Add to that the long, black sword with crimson spikes, and it was clear what had happened. He had fused himself with darkness itself. He had become the Dark Guardian.

"How?!" was the only thing Simon could say.

Derrick laughed. "Meet my plan B! I knew that, if I'd kill your friends, you'd try to turn back the clock! I knew that killing them meant a second chance! And even better, I've send all of the data gathered in our last fight, or should I say, the fight that has yet to happen, and as you can see, I have used that knowledge! And it gets better, if I kill the past version of you or that Lombax you're with, or if you'd kill me, you'd create a loophole in time that the Clock can't fix, resulting in the destruction of the universe! AHAHAHAHA!"

"Wrong!" a loud voice echoed through the area, and in a flash of blue light, an old friend of Simon teleported in.

"Orvus?" Simon asked.

Orvus only glared at the Dark Guardian. "You have killed my son."

"Oh, are you the little robot's little _daddy_?"

"You clearly have no understanding of what I am capable of, do you?"

"I honestly don't give a crap about what you can do, ya dwarf. Now get out of my sight before I annihilate you."

"Zoni!" Orvus commanded, and immediately hundreds of thousands of Zoni teleported in.

"What are you going to do?" Simon asked.

"This man is attempting to tie a knot in the line of time, what I am about to do is cutting the knot out. Zoni, now!"

"ZONI!" all of the tiny creatures yelled as they released a shock of energy at once. Immediately there was a bright flash. When the light faded, all of the Zoni save for Orvus were gone. Orvus turned to Simon. "The present you came from has been removed, and the past became the present once more. Only a few people know of the timeline that once was, and those people are you, the Princess of Light, and the bringer of darkness. And myself of course. Simon... take revenge for my son. I shall return to the Clock and keep it running, no matter what."

Simon nodded. "Stay safe, old friend."

As Orvus vanished, Simon and Alcyone heard footsteps behind them. The heroes came running at them. They stopped and stared at Simon and Alcyone in confusion. "How did you two get there?" Ratchet asked. "Last time I checked you two were behind us!"

"That's a story for another day." Simon said. "What matters now is that we take down that thing."

Everyone stared at the Dark Guardian. "OH, SHIT!" Falco cried out.

Wait, Falco? "Falco, what happened?" Simon asked. "Weren't you guys aerial support?"

"Yes, but our ships began to have trouble. We had to land, and our ships are currently parked a few miles from here."

Simon let out a silent sigh of relief. Everyone was still alive.

"Simon, look out!" Alcyone yelled. She jumped forward and pressed him against the ground just in time, a blade swooped past, missing Simon by inches.

Immediately all of the heroes opened fire on the Dark Guardian. Said villain simply laughed and raised his sword.

Simon quickly grabbed Final Eclipse and slammed it against the ground, sending all of the heroes flying backwards... save for two.

"What?!" Simon gasped. "So the legends were true?!"

"Prepare to feel the might of the Dark Guardian!" said villain yelled as he brought down his sword. It went right through the two heroes, as if they weren't even there. "What?!"

 **(Author's note: before reading on, I advice listening to the soundtrack 'Battle! Versus Champion Diantha' from Pokémon X and Y)**

Simon burst out laughing. "YES! THE LEGENDS WERE TRUE!"

He quickly ran over to the two heroes. "Ratchet, you must listen to me. You too, Angela. Only you two can defeat this maniac."

"What!?" the two Lombaxes said in unison.

"According to an old Lombaxian legend, in a time of great need, when darkness was rising, heroes would rise as well. These heroes would be immune to the powers of light and the powers of darkness, and they would be able to wield either of them with incredible power, and only those heroes would be able to restore the balance between good and evil in this world. You two are those heroes from the legend, and you two are the only ones who can do this. I honestly had a gut feeling that you could the one one from the legend, Ratchet. When we met on Veldin those many years ago I saw a spark in your eyes, a spark that told me more than words ever could. That spark told me who you are, and who you wanted to be. It told me that you were a good person, Ratchet, someone who would never turn their back on people in need of help. A true hero.

Remember your first encounter with Hypernova? That is why I took you and Clank along. That is why I needed your help. Because I knew that I could find myself up against an evil that I would not be able to defeat, but you would. I let Angela join because I saw that same spark in her eyes, but until now I couldn't be sure.

Now, however, I'm certain. I won't be the one who saves this universe, it'll be you two."

"No." Ratchet said. "It'll be us. We'll do this together."

Simon nodded. "Here. Take this."

He gave Ratchet a wrench that he remembered immediately. "My mother's OmniWrench 8000?"

"It's no ordinary OmniWrench, Ratchet. It never was. In fact, this wrench had been passed down from generation to generation. Well, maybe not the wrench, but the thing inside of it. It contains an extremely rare gem, a Soul of Light that was once found on Fastoon and became a prized Lombaxian artifact. Your mother had hidden it inside her wrench and sent it with you to prevent Tachyon from ever finding it. You never had an idea of the power at your fingertips because you hadn't yet found your way, but now, here you stand, strong and wise. I have no doubt that you will be able to use the power of the Soul of Light to it's maximum potential."

"What about me?" Angela asked. "How can I help?"

"Angela, just by being around Ratchet you make him so much stronger. However, we're dealing with a great evil here, Ratchet won't be able to stop it alone. However, if you'd attack together, your love for each other will significantly increase the power of the Soul of Light. Ratchet, Angela, grab the wrench together."

Ratchet and Angela did as they were told. Immediately the wrench reacted. It began to vibrate and suddenly a huge, glowing blade shot out of the wrench, and Ratchet and Angela found themselves wielding a huge sword.

"How can we even _lift_ this thing?" Angela wondered out loud.

"It's light energy. You two are good people, a bad person is always strained by the knowledge that he or she is a villain, but you two are free from that. Just as neither of you feels the burden of light, you won't feel the weight of the sword. And one last thing, the Soul of Light will grant you both incredible powers."

Simon raised Final Eclipse. "And I will strengthen those powers further."

Suddenly, Ratchet and Angela felt stronger. As one they jumped and charged at the Dark Guardian, who was using his powers to keep the other heroes' firepower at bay. Speaking of the other heroes, the villain noticed that Fox was standing a bit closer.

He grinned evilly and raised his sword, but before he could bring it down on Fox, a smart bomb was thrown into his face. "Hands off my son." A voice that sounded awfully familiar to Fox spoke. "Dad?!"

Meanwhile the Dark Guardian was bocking the firepower of the other heroes and thus he had no idea of what was happening behind him. Imagine his surprise when he suddenly noticed the two Lombaxes charge at him with a huge, glowing sword.

Before he could even react, the villain was being pummeled, Ratchet and Angela dealing blow after blow, the power of the Soul of Light allowing them to attack with an insane speed. A few seconds later Simon joined the fight with Final Eclipse. As a team they dealt blow after blow, but then Alcyone joined as well with her staff. She had been protecting the other heroes, but now that the Dark Guardian was focused on Simon, Ratchet and Angela, Alcyone could help as well. She fired a beam of light from her staff whilst also radiating a glowing white aura that made all heroes stronger.

"ENOUGH!" the Dark Guardian yelled as he sent Simon, Ratchet and Angela flying backwards with a shove of his arm, but Alcyone caught them by strengthening her aura.

"Now, you two must finish this!" Simon said. He and Alcyone aimed their weapons at Ratchet and Angela respectively. A half-transparent beam of light shot from Alcyone's staff and the tip of Final Eclipse. When the light reached Ratchet and Angela, they started to glow. Their fur and clothing became pure gold in colour and even their eyes turned gold and started to shine.

They began to float, the sheer amount of energy enabling them to overcome gravity. Simon and Alcyone began supercharging Ratchet and Angela even further, giving them as much power as possible. "Now, everyone, grab our shoulders!" Simon yelled, and immediately the other heroes did as they were told. Together they sent as much of their energy as they could to Ratchet and Angela, the two Lombaxes barely able to contain the overload of power. The surface of Cerinia underneath the two Lombaxes began to crack, the sheer amount of energy stored within the two Lombaxes rivalling the planet's gravitational pull.

"Now, unleash that power!" Simon yelled.

Ratchet suddenly grabbed Angela's hands. He pulled her in and kissed her.

The world slowed down quite literally due to the sheer amount of energy released with that one kiss. The two Lombaxes began pouring out more energy in mere seconds than stars would do in their entire life. Simon and Alcyone focused the energy radiating from the two and redirected it all towards the Dark Guardian.

"No!" the villain yelled as he finished charging up a barrier of darkness.

The light drilled right through the barrier, and drilled right through the Dark Guardian.

KABOOM!

Everyone was sent flying by the massive explosion. Simon landed rather uncomfortably, but got up again as soon as he saw someone falling towards him. He caught Alcyone just in time. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'm okay. Thank you."

Simon noticed Ratchet and Angela lying on the ground a few feet away, and they weren't moving. Simon ran over to them and checked for a pulse. He let out a sigh of relief. "They're okay, just unconscious. I don't think they'll wake up anytime soon either. Let's get them back to the Great Fox."

Fox heard what Simon said, and he immediately pressed a button on his belt. "ROB, could you fly the Great Fox down to my position?"

Sure enough, the huge, white ship came descending through the clouds, but as everyone boarded, Simon didn't move. He just stood there and stared at the ground where the Dark Guardian had been. "Is everything alright?" the Princess of Light asked.

"Yes, I just... I can hardly believe it that it's over at last. For as long as I have lived I knew that a great evil lived alongside me, but now that evil has been vanquished at last. Now every universe is finally free."

"Are you sure he's not coming back?"

"What we just fought was a fusion between Derrick and darkness itself. He didn't just use darkness, he became it. Upon defeating him, he was destroyed, and therefore it's safe to assume Black Hole will never return. It's over."

* * *

 **Simon's not entirely correct, the story isn't over yet...  
**

 **Also, I've got news! I've finally fixed the issues I've been having with my PS4, and I've already got the first R &C clip ready, me having fun on Pokitaru. Add to that, Agent-Daniel_46 has caught numerous glitches on tape so hilariousness guaranteed.**

 **I've also got LittleBigPlanet 3, so for those of you with LBP3 for PS4 (I'm not sure if PS4 levels can be played by PS3 users...), I'm planning to make a few levels in which you can take control of Simon, Photon or Hypernova. I've even contacted saviour of worlds, who also has LBP3, so you might also see a few 'Bob-levels' appearing.**

 **Anyhow, I'm signing off now, I've got my Cambridge English Exams tomorrow. As you can read here, unless something supernatural happens, it should be easy. My teachers are pretty confident too, and so am I! In fact, I'm looking forward to the exams! (And yes, you may call me crazy)**


	18. The End

**I'm back with the last chapter of Epilogue 2. Now, I think there's been a misunderstanding, when I said that the story wasn't over yet, I meant that there'd be an epilogue. Black Hole's done for.**

 **Anyhow, reviews!**

 **Destiny W: "** ** _This was a great chapter, I can't wait for more._ "  
Well wait no more! Although I'm taking a break so I can focus on Zoniborn and True Heroes after this.**

 **john walaszek1: "** ** _Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Simon. I noticed that brief hint of James Mccloud in the battle. But anyway, if Simon is not entirely correct, a final Final Battle with Black Hole is imminent._ "  
Sorry for the confusion, I meant that there'd be one last chapter. Blaco Hole's dead, although if the same can be said about James McCloud...**

 **Max Chronicle: "** ** _I frankly, have no idea what to say to this chapter. It was great, truly was. But either Derrick comes back, or a new villain emerges. In any case, this story is not over.  
Max out.  
P.S. And because you invited it, yeah, you're crazy._"  
Thanks! As for what villain will threaten the universe next, only time (or Travel The Days?) will tell. And this story is over, but the Epilogue series... not so much. I've got something huge planned for the future!  
P.S. Well, you have to be crazy to write about Bob...**

 **Jadzia Ezri Dax: "** ** _This is seriously one heck of a chapter. I hope that Black Hole gets his you-know-what kicked and that everything will turn out alright.  
P. S. I apologize for my confusion with words in my previous review, sorry about that, it's a bad habit of mine.  
P. S. S. Awesome! I certainly love Photon and I think it's awesome that you made a skin for him. I'll be getting LittleBigPlanet 2 tomorrow, and I'll let you know how it goes.  
P. S. S. S. My sister says hi and that she had found this chapter very suspenseful!_"  
Thanks! However, Black Hole's dead, I meant that there'd be one last chapter, sorry for the confusion.  
P.S. Like I said, change your name whenever you like, I don't mind as long as you're happy with your new name.  
P.S.S. I've made a skin of Simon, Hypernova and Alcyone too! And you've got LBP2?! I'm just starting my playthrough of that game (have to replay it, new account, but I don't mind, it's a fun game). I'd love to play it together once! I'll have to contact you somewhere else than review replies though, if I'd post my PSN name here I might get a ton of random friend invites and I definitely don't need that. Besides, it comes in handy when submitting OC's. For instance, right now the only way I can tell you if I can add your OC and if not, why not is through review replies. You can contact me on Skype, through E-Mail, on YouTube or DeviantArt, or you could just make an account on this website so I can contact you through private messaging. You see, the OC you submitted for Zoniborn doesn't quite fit in. The problem is that Skyrim has a medieval theme, any R&C armour or weapon would be way too advanced for that time. Add to that the time travelling ability: in Skyrim only the legendary and ancient Elder Scrolls have the power to break through time, and it wouldn't make sense for your OC to have an Elder Scroll either since they're so extremely rare and so powerful that almost no people are mentally capable of handling the power of a Scroll. So in order for your OC to fit in best, your OC'll have to adapt to the Skyrim setting and lore for a bit. And this brings me back to the point that it'd help a lot if I could contact you through something like E-Mail or private messaging, if it wasn't for the fact that I can tell you in these review replies, your OC can't appear in the next chapter of Zoniborn. Also, I can't post my E-Mail here for the same reason as why I can't post my PSN here, random E-Mails or spamming is what I'd like to prevent. So is there some way I can contact you so I can let you know about problems like this ASAP?  
P.S.S.S. And say hi to your sister for me, and tell her that I'm glad she enjoyed it!  
**

 **Anyhow, everyone, enjoy the final chapter of Epilogue 2.**

* * *

Ratchet slowly regained consciousness. He found himself in his room on the Great Fox. Angela was lying next to him, and apparently she was waking up too. Kaden was sitting on the couch, asleep. "Dad?" Ratchet asked.

Kaden's eyes shot open. "Alister! It wasn't me who stole the cookies!"

Kaden shook his head. "Huh, I must've dozed off. Anyhow," he said as he got up and walked over to the bed. "How are you feeling, son?"

"I'm feeling just fine!" Ratchet said. "How is mom doing?"

"She's fine too, although she's still in bed. Last time I checked she was doing some crossword puzzles. I never got the hang of those things, all those bloody cryptic messages, why can't they just say what you're _supposed_ to write?"

"Because finding that out is the goal of the puzzle, Kaden." Angela said, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

Kaden nodded. "Now that you're both awake, Simon has asked you two to come to his lab, there's something he has to discuss with you two."

* * *

"You wanted to see us?" Ratchet asked as he and Angela walked into Simon's lab. Simon was standing by a few test tubes, wearing a lab coat and safety goggles, he was likely conducting some sort of experiment. Photon was lying on a couch in the corner, asleep.

"What are you doing?" Angela asked.

"Nothing, just testing the properties of some compounds." Simon said as he took off the safety goggles and turned to the two Lombaxes. "Anyhow, Ratchet, do you remember what Black Hole showed us through those portals?"

Ratchet remembered immediately. His ears lowered, he walked over to the couch in the corner, and sat down next to Photon. He buried his head in his hands. "Clank." he mumbled as he began to cry.

Simon nodded. "Yes. However, there is something you should know. What you saw there were remote-controlled robotic dummies developed by the Praetorian Guard for super-dangerous missions. No Lombax was killed or injured. As for Clank, Kaden flew over to where Clank had been destroyed, and he managed to recover these."

Simon showed Ratchet a box full of dented metal parts that undoubtedly belonged to Clank. "Why are you showing me this? It only hurts more." Ratchet said.

"Because Kaden also found this." Simon said as he grabbed a glass box from his desk. Inside was a smaller, black box. "When I upgraded Clank on our first adventure together I also repositioned Clank's hardware in case of emergency. Clank's databanks, processor, everything about his personality, all of his memories, everything, is safely stored in this box. We can build Clank a new body, Ratchet, and he will be just the way you knew him."

"B-but he won't be the same! I want Clank back the way he was!"

Simon frowned. "Hmm... perhaps Orvus has a pair of schematics lying around that-wait a minute. Ratchet, do you remember how Clank was born?"

"Of course I do. He was born in the Great Clock."

"But was his metallic body built there?"

"No, it was built-"

Ratchet's eyes widened. "In a robot factory on Quartu!"

"Then let's go to Quartu right now."

"Wait," Angela said, "isn't there something you wanted to discuss with me?"

"Indeed." Simon said. "I'll get to that when we get back, let's bring Clank back first."

"But how are we going to get to Quartu? I don't feel like sitting in a ship for hours." Ratchet said.

Simon smiled. "I know just the person who can help."

He walked over to the couch in the corner and gently tapped Photon on the nose. "Photon, wake up."

Photon opened his eyes and hissed at Simon, meaning 'did you really have to interrupt my sleeping?'

"I'm sorry, Photon, but we need to get to Quartu as fast as possible, and I was wondering if you'd want to come with us."

Photon's mood brightened immediately. He attempted to hop onto Simon's shoulders, but Simon stopped him. "Hold on a minute."

Simon reached for his watch. He pressed the buttons on the side in a specific order before the watch opened up to reveal a gem that shined in all the colours of the rainbow. He pressed the gem and closed the watch again.

Ratchet smiled as his friend transformed into Hypernova. "You rebuilt him?"

"I already did, in order to become the golde-" Simon realized that that timeline had disappeared. "Erm, I mean, I just finished rebuilding it. Sorry, thinking about two projects at once doesn't end well if you're also talking. Anyhow..."

Hypernova raised his arm and a portal opened up. Photon jumped onto Hypernova's shoulders, and together the three people plus cat walked through the portal, Hypernova carrying Clank's 'datasafe' as he had called it, while Ratchet carried the box that contained the dented parts that Clank had been made of.

Ratchet stared at the half-broken factory ahead. "Ah, nostalgia."

A blue mist formed around Hypernova, and together the three heroes plus cat flew into the facility, to a certain computer.

"It's off." Ratchet said as he wiped a thick layer of dust off the green screen.

"Let me." Hypernova said as he noticed an old Swingshot target in the wall above him. He flew up and into the tunnel, Photon holding on. A few seconds later they found themselves in a circular room with the hardware of Clank's mother in it. "I'll leave this honor to you." Simon said to Photon.

Photon stepped forward and a jolt of electricity shot from his front legs, shooting across the ground and powering up the computer once more.

Once Hypernova and Photon had regrouped with Ratchet and Angela, Clank's mother had finished starting up. For a moment the screen stayed blank, but then a message appeared.

" _Hello, Ratchet. It has been such a long time__ "

"I know, way too long, it's been years."

" _I see some new faces, it is good to see my son has made some new friends. Speaking of my son, where is he?__ "

Ratchet had to fight back tears. "Here."

The computer stayed silent for a moment. " _Oh, no. Was my son destroyed?__ "

"Yes."

" _I wish I could express emotions better, because my processor is currently bursting with sadness. Is there anything I can do?__ "

"Yes, actually." Hypernova said. "Before he was destroyed, I had upgraded Clank in case something like that would happen. Clank's databanks, processor, GPU's, RAM memory chips, everything is safely stored in here and undamaged."

" _Perfect.__ " the computer replied. " _However, I cannot rebuild my son. He was born from an error in my codes and I still do not know where it came from. I do not know how he was built, nor do I have the parts.__ "

"I've got Clank's parts with me." Ratchet said.

"And I'm pretty certain I can acquire a schematic of Clank." Hypernova said as he sent a coded signal straight at the center of the universe... give or take a few feet.

* * *

Sigmund was getting worried. After Clank had been destroyed, Orvus had moved into the Orvus chamber and wouldn't unlock the door, no matter how many times Sigmund pleaded.

But then Sigmund received a message. At first sight it appeared to be binary, but an unimportant looking extra code told Sigmund the decryption key, it was a type of encryption specifically designed to send messages to the Clock safely.

Sigmund gasped when he had finished decoding the message. It read 'Requesting help, XJ can be reborn.'

Sigmund headed to the Orvus chamber immediately. "Sir! Open up!"

No answer. "Sir, I've got an important message!"

"Go away, Sigmund, I need time to heal." Orvus' sad voice came from within.

"No you don't!" Sigmund yelled. For once he wised the Orvus Computer was still working properly, it'd be able to send a message into the Orvus chamber, but alas, it had started malfunctioning. "Sir, XJ0461 can be rebuilt, but they need help!"

Immediately the Orvus chamber opened. "What did you just say, Sigmund?"

"I've received a message coming from Quartu that XJ0461 can be rebuilt, although they need help."

Orvus nodded, and vanished instantly. Sigmund could only hope that XJ0461 would be rebuilt properly.

* * *

Orvus suddenly appeared next to Hypernova. "How can we rebuild my son?!"

" _Your son?__ " the computer read.

"Yes, my son." Orvus replied.

" _No, Clank is my son.__ "

Then Orvus understood what was going on. "You don't understand. I caused a malfunctioning in your systems resulting in the creation of Clank. I even created his soul by removing half of mine. That did take quite a while to recover from, but it was worth it. Speaking of which, why can't I find him?" Orvus asked Hypernova.

"Find him?" Ratchet asked, confused. Angela had already given up trying to make sense of the situation, and was leaning against the wall.

"I'll explain later." Hypernova said to Ratchet. He then turned to Orvus. "It's because Clank is still in here."

He showed Orvus the datasafe. "This box contains Clank's hardware as well as a backup battery, Clank is still alive although currently unable to move, as you can see. The computer over there can rebuild him, but she's missing one crucial component."

"The knowledge of how to build Clank." Orvus said. Hypernova nodded.

" _So you caused that malfunction. You are Clank's father?__ "

"Absolutely correct." Orvus said as he began to cause another malfunctioning. "Alright, the next robot produced will be Clank."

After Ratchet had added Clank's parts to the reserves of the machinery, Clank's mother got to work. Everyone waited in anticipation, and...

A small, silver robot came shooting out, landing uncomfortably. He got up and looked around.

"Clank?"

The robot looked at Ratchet, and smiled. "Did I miss anything?"

Ratchet burst out laughing. "Oh, you bet."

"And I don't think Ratchet minds telling you the whole story." Hypernova said. Clank tilted his head. "Were you not destroyed?"

"Yes, I was. Long story. I'll tell you all you want to know later."

Orvus nodded. "It is so good to have you back, son."

Clank smiled. "I missed you too, father." Then he turned to the computer. "And you too, mother."

" _It is so good to see you, son. However, this is the last thing I can do for you.__ "

"What do you mean?" Clank asked.

" _This facility is planned to be demolished in a few weeks.__ "

"N-no! We cannot let that happen!" Clank said.

Orvus hummed in thought. "The Orvus computer is starting to malfunction... perhaps you would like to take over the Great Clock?"

" _What is the great clock?__ "

"The Great Clock is a huge and magnificent machine with the task of keeping time flowing. The question is, are you up to the task? Also, the Orvus computer does not communicate through written words, but instead by speech, do you think you can handle that?"

" _I have always longed to speak. It would be an honor to keep the universe safe. And it gives me a new purpose, seeing as there is nothing more I can do here.__ "

Orvus nodded. "It's settled then."

Hypernova grabbed a USB drive and after a few minutes Clank's mother had been transferred to the USB drive. The screen built into the wall showed no more letters, after the A.I. transfer there was nothing to control the computer.

Hypernova opened a portal to the center of the Great Clock and everyone walked through. Simon inserted the USB drive into the Orvus Computer, and began transferring Clank's mother into the Orvus Computer. The old A.I. was broken, but Hypernova took it with him nevertheless, perhaps he could still repair it and give it a new life.

"Mom?" Clank asked.

"Wow..." the Orvus Computer spoke. "I can speak!"

"Mother, is that you?"

The computer laughed. "Yes, my son, it's me."

Clank smiled.

Hypernova cleared his throat. "I'm going back to the Great Fox, I still have some things to discuss."

Angela nodded. "I'm coming with you."

"Then I'm coming too." Ratchet said. He turned to Clank. "You coming, pal?"

Clank gave Ratchet a sad smile. "No, Ratchet. I will stay here."

"What?"

"Ratchet, after Alister's defeat, I listened to the message my father left for me. 'The Clock is, just as time itself, a gift.' I paused the message after that sentence, and I said 'I am sorry, but I cannot stay. Now that I have found my family, I can not leave Ratchet. Not until he finds his own. I hope you understand.' Ratchet, the Lombaxes have returned and you have found someone to love. You have found your family, and thus I will stay here and return to my duty as Senior Caretaker."

Ratchet's ears lowered. "In that case... good luck, pal." Ratchet said, giving Clank a hug. "I'll visit you often, okay?"

Clank nodded, a sad smile still present on his face. Meanwhile, Orvus had been watching, and shook his head. "Clank, you have not let my hologram finish. Being your father I want you to do what you think is right, you are by far smart enough to make wise decisions. So if you have bigger plans than the Clock, then I pray the universe may be kind to you on your journey. You do not have to stay here, especially now that I have returned."

Clank closed his eyes and thought. Then he smiled. "I have made my decision."

"What did you choose?" Ratchet asked.

Clank turned to his lifelong friend. "I will stay at the Clock with my father and mother, and I will help anywhere I can. However, if you ever need me, you can always give me a call, and I will come running. Add to that, if the universe is in danger once again, you can count on me."

Ratchet smiled and nodded. "Like I said, I'll call and visit regularly."

"And I will spend time with you regularly, that is, if my presence is not required at the Clock."

* * *

Having returned to the Great Fox, Hypernova transformed back into Simon. Simon led the two Lombaxes to the bridge, where they found Alister and Kaden bickering over a warp drive.

Simon turned to Angela as a door opened behind her. "Angela, I think there's something you should meet. Turn around."

Angela's heart skipped a beat as she turned around. There she was.

Lorna Cross. She was standing there, smiling, and alive. Angela ran at her mother to embrace her... but someone beat her to it.

"Lorna!" Alister cried out as he wrapped his arms around her. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Angela stopped and watched as her mother and Alister kissed. But that meant that-

"Father?" Angela whispered. Apparently Lorna had heard her daughter. "Alister, there's something you need to know."

"Anything you need."

"When I fled to Bogon... I was pregnant. And I gave birth to a beautiful daughter there, one week after... 'Tachyon'." Lorna said

Alister couldn't believe it. He had become a father? "Where is she?"

Lorna smiled. "Turn around."

Alister turned around, and saw Angela, smiling at him, and nodding. Alister ran to Angela, hugged her, and cried. "My daughter... your mother's right about you." he whispered.

"Wait..." Angela said, remembering something. "Mother... the day we met on Grelbin, you said 'my husband', but if you're married, then how come you and dad have different last names?"

Lorna sighed. "It's because we hadn't married yet. I was in Bogon for that specific reason, to marry Alister. I'd wait for him while he finished some business back in Polaris, then he'd join me here. We'd marry at the Hope Valley on Todano, on a beautiful mountainside overlooking the vast, misty, and beautiful valley. Alister and I had set a date on which he'd come to Bogon, but when he didn't show up, I grew worried, and when I heard the news of what happened on Fastoon... I call Alister my husband because he's supposed to be my husband, we should have married years ago but it was taken from us. I call him my husband because I always wanted to do so, and I won't let anyone take that away from me as well."

"It's okay." Angela said with a smile. "I understand. However... mother, do you love my father?"

"Yes, of course!"

"And father, do you love my mother?"

"Yes I do, and I will forever love her."

Angela smiled. "Then I think it's time to give that wedding another shot."

* * *

Fox sighed as he sat down. He was certain he had seen his father back on Cerinia, he had even heard him. But where was his father? He couldn't have vanished... did he not want to meet his son?

A few knocks on the door brought Fox back to reality. He walked to the door and opened it up. Krystal came in. "Fox... can we talk?"

"Sure." Fox said, closing the door. Krystal sat down on Fox' bed, and he sat down next to her. "What's on your mind?"

"Well... I... I don't think I can do this, Fox."

Fox froze. This couldn't be happening, not again! "Goodbye, Fox." Krystal said as she got up and attempted to run to the door, but Fox was faster. He blocked her way. "Wait." he said. "Let me speak first."

Fox took a deep breath. "Krystal, you don't know if you can live with me again, but I know for sure that I can't live without you. I love you, Krystal."

"Fox-"

"You don't know if you can do this, but I know that you can. Krystal, you can never take a step forward if you're afraid to do so. And if you're afraid of us getting into an argument again, well, every couple has an argument every now and then. And if you're afraid that we'll break up due to an argument, well, I love you too much for that."

"That's not it... I'm afraid of you getting hurt..." Krystal whispered. "I'm afraid that you'll... I don't know if I can handle that."

"Krystal, everyone dies at some point. The question is, do you want to live with me until we die?"

Krystal froze. Suddenly she moved forward and kissed him. And he kissed back. When they broke apart, Fox said something Krystal never thought she'd hear him say. "If you're afraid that I'll die while on a mission, then I think it's time for me to stop. Lylat will be fine, it's got Star Falco to protect it."

They sat down on Fox' bed. "Fox, I can sense something is bothering you." Krystal said.

"Yes. On Cerinia, did you see the ship that fired a smart bomb at the Dark Guardian?"

"Yes. And I heard what the pilot said. You're wondering if it was your father?"

"I'm actually wondering where he went."

The door opened up all of a sudden. Simon came in. "Fox, you gotta see this."

* * *

Both Fox and Krystal ran after Simon, running to the lower hangar at full speed. An Arwing was landing in the hangar, one that Fox recognized. He recognized the model, he recognized the emblem on the nose, there was no doubt.

The cockpit opened up, and James McCloud jumped out. Although his fur had turned slightly grey due to age, he still wore his trademark sunglasses. He landed on the ground and adjusted his sunglasses before turning to Fox. "I'm proud of you, son."

"D-dad?!"

"Yes."

Fox embraced his father. "Where have you been? And what happened?"

"When Pigma betrayed Peppy and me, Andross' forces chased us. I caused a distraction so Peppy could get away." the old fox confessed. "I was neither killed nor captured, although when Peppy left he likely believed that I had been captured and killed. Instead I managed to get away. I've watched you from afar, Fox. But I had to stay in the shadows. Andross had hired a gang of assassins to kill me, no matter what it'd cost. Even after Andross' defeat they kept searching for me. I did risk my life and exposed myself in order to save you a few times, for example when Andross tried to blow himself up. However, two days ago the assassins had finally found me. I was pinned down, but suddenly, this guy in white armour and with a glowing sword came charging in and blew them to smithereens."

Simon couldn't help but grin. James continued: "He also told me where you were, and that you needed help. He also told me about what happened to Peppy. Of course I miss the old hare, but... I know that he's with the people he loves most, and I know that his spirit will be watching over us."

"Wise words, dad. But... what about mom?"

James frowned. "Vixy was killed by Andross by accident in an attempt to kill me."

"Incorrect." Simon said. I've received word from the 'man in white' you mentioned that he had traveled back in time and had teleported Vixy out of there just in time."

"What?!" both James and Fox said at the same time. "Where is she?!"

"Right here."

Time had left it's marks on Vixy McCloud, but that was to be expected. However, her age didn't seem to hinder or bother her in any way. James ran up to his wife and kissed her. "I thought I had lost you." he whispered. "I thought I had lost you too." Vixy replied.

And while Fox, James, Vixy and Krystal walked away, talking, Simon smiled. The universe was the way it should be again. Only one people deserved to have her relatives back, but Lucy would run into them soon, Simon had made sure of that.

Simon turned around to see Bob walking up to him. "Hey. The Lombaxes... are they really unharmed?"

Simon raised his hand and a portal opened up that showed Fastoon. "See for yourself. No Lombax was killed that night."

Bob took a deep breath. "I am experiencing a surprisingly sane moment. I actually feel... different. You know... I was built to protect the Lombax race. I am a Robo-Praetorian. I was knocked unconscious during the fight and was left for dead, but when I woke up again a few days later, the planet was one big massacre. The sight of it meant one thing, that I failed beyond miserably, it had such a deep impact on me that I had completely lost my mind, but now that the Lombax race is back and unharmed, I have regained my sanity. But you know what?" Bob said with a laugh. "It's more fun being crazy. In fact, you have to be crazy to enjoy being crazy. Well, look at that, I'm becoming insane again!"

Simon laughed. "What are you going to do now?"

Bob stopped laughing. "I don't know." he replied with a frown.

"Perhaps you could join the Praetorian Guard again as a demolition expert?" Simon suggested.

Bob smiled. "That's brilliant! No, taco-tastic! Yes, I'll get to blow stuff up!"

Simon smiled. "Then step through the portal. And Bob, if you ever need my help, you can just give me a call, I've just uploaded my caller ID to your databanks."

"Right. We'll keep in touch." Bob said. "But now, taco's, fun, and most of all, explosions!" Bob yelled as he stormed through the portal. The portal closed behind him. "Good luck, Bob." Simon muttered.

Then he noticed Tiger walking towards her ship. "Tiger."

She turned around. "Yes?"

"What are you going to do now?"

Tiger smiled. "What I always did, help wherever I can." she said as she climbed into her ship.

"Alright, good luck then! And until the day our paths cross again, and I have a gut feeling they will, goodbye!"

Tiger waved at Simon before flying out of the hangar of the Great Fox, into the unknown.

Then he noticed Hanna walking by. She was walking towards her ship, lost in thought.

"Hanna."

She stopped and turned to Simon. "Yes, Sir!"

"What's bothering you?"

"Well, I hoped to find a Fulcrum star here, but alas, still no luck. It's the only clue I got about my parents' disappearance. So I'm leaving, my work here is done anyway, and I'm going to continue my seemingly endless search for a Fulcrum star."

Simon smiled. "Well, I've got an elite team of scientists, and they've located an obsidian eye on the planet Aurora-7 in the Cassiopeian galaxy. And guess what powers an obsidian eye?"

Hanna gave Simon a hug. "Thank you!" she cried out before jumping into her ship and activating the engines immediately. "Good luck!" Simon yelled. "And if you need help, just gimme a shout!"

"Will do!" she yelled as she blasted off towards the Cassiopeian galaxy.

Then Nebula appeared, walking towards her ship. "I'm leaving." she said to Simon. "I'm returning to the Bogon galaxy, it won't protect itself, that's my job."

"You know, I never quite got your real name."

"Cora. Cora Keene."

"Right. Hey, if you ever need help out there, just let me know, okay?"

"Will do."

Then Zeta left, returning to his detective/inventor/vigilante life, followed by Zenit, who was going to search about his past. Then Sam left, who just went home.

Simon sighed after Sam had left. He began to wonder about his own future.

He heard footsteps behind him and saw Photon running up to him. Photon stopped next to Simon, and together they stared out into space. "We won, Photon."

The cat nodded. "I wonder what the future has in store for us." Simon said. Then he shook his head. "But that's something time will teach us."

He turned to Photon. "And I'd like to find out together, my friend." he said as he offered Photon a chocolate chip cookie. Photon jumped and grabbed the cookie immediately, and sat down as he began eating his favorite treat.

Simon laughed. "You're one weird little one, you know that?"

Photon smiled, and nodded.

Simon stared out at the stars. "You know, where should we go first?"

Photon rolled his eyes and shook his head. He brushed his cheek against Simon's leg.

"Oh, of course, you can't speak. Let's see if I can so something about that." Simon said. "Therefore our next stop will be my space station, or should I say, moving city. Last time I checked it was in the Panorelis galaxy. Come on, let's see if I can make you break the silence." he said as he and Photon jumped into their Star Explorer and blasted off into space. "Perhaps I'll even pay a visit to Fastoon." Simon said. "I haven't been there in ages, and I'd love to see the streets filled with life once again. My goodness, there are so many things to do, now that I think of it."

Photon nodded. The cat smiled as he thought of what words he'd speak first. Only one sentence came to mind.

'Can I have more chocolate chip cookies? Please?'

"Wait, hang on!" Simon heard as he turned to his Star Explorer. Alcyone came running at them.

"Alcyone?" Simon asked. "Weren't you going to stay on Cerinia?"

"Well, back on Cerinia my job was to protect the planet. The thing is though, before Black Hole and everything, Cerinia was a distant planet unknown to the rest of the Lylat system, but now, it has been connected to the rest of the system. While the Cerinians will stick to their traditions and lifestyle, I'm happy to pass on the duty of protecting the planet to the Cornerian Defense Force, which means that I'm free to do whatever I want. The problem is though that I do not know what to do now, so... may I stay with you and Photon?"

"Well... sure. Have a seat." Simon said as he climbed into his Star Explorer. Alcyone took the passenger seat while Photon lay down on the couch in the back.

As Simon started up the ship, he noticed something. "It seems like there's trouble in a nearby star system."

"What do you two think?" he asked. "Clubberin' time?"

Alcyone laughed. "Let's teach these guys some manners."

Simon nodded. "You're going to need more protection than that dress of yours though." he said as he typed something on the ship's board computer and in a bright flash Simon, Alcyone and even Photon were wearing Indestructum armour. "Ready?" Simon asked.

"Ready."

Ratchet and Angela watched as the white-blue star explorer left. "So, what now?" Angela asked, leaning on Ratchet's shoulder.

"Let's go home."

"Well... I wanna take a few days off actually, go do something fun, what about you?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

As Ratchet and Angela flew through space, they ran into Simon's ship. "What a coincidence!" Ratchet said.

"Indeed, we were just finished there. So what are you guys up to?"

"We're thinking of going to either Pokitaru or Tropicano for a few days."

"I got a better idea."

"What's your plan?"

"Let's go to my home."

* * *

"Wow... you live _here_?!" Angela gasped while Ratchet and Alcyone were speechless.

"Yes, Custos, a planet I have created myself. It's a truly beautiful world, and a safe haven too, down there there are no annoying insects, no dangerous animals, no diseases, no poison, only warm oceans covered with lbiouminescent coral reefs, golden beaches with the softest sand you'll find, tropical rainforests full of various different kinds of tasty fruits, and breathtaking mountains. I love this world."

"I can imagine." Angela said. Simon's home turned out to be a large house built into the wall of a tall mountain on a small island. The house was build close to a huge, majestic waterfall, and if you'd step outside on the side facing the waterfall, you'd feel the refreshing spray of droplets from the waterfall as well as the rainbow it creates, while on the other side of the house you had a breathtaking view of the island while a cable car could bring anyone down to the beach or a cave system Simon discovered that lead to the shore through an underwater tunnel, an amazing place for scuba diving.

Ratchet and Angela got a guest room on the side of the house with the view of the island, while Simon's room and the room Simon gave to Alcyone were on the side facing the waterfall.

That evening, Ratchet and Angela slowly fell asleep in each other's arms underneath a blanket of stars, while Simon stood on the balcony of his room. He enjoyed feeling the droplets of water on his skin, it kept him awake and it calmed him. He stared up at Custos' moon hanging over the valley, and he smiled.

He could hear the door open up behind him, and a few seconds later Alcyone joined him. "It's beautiful isn't it?" Simon asked.

"Yes, it is." she said. Suddenly she hugged Simon. Simon turned a bit red. "Uuh... this is really awkward, you know?"

"I know, but I'm just so happy that everything turned out alright, and I'm thankful that I met you."

"What do you mean?"

"Meeting you and fighting alongside you and your friends made me realize how lonely it was on that temple. I've missed having people around me."

"Well, right now, you should just relax. We're on the most peaceful planet in this universe."

Simon realized Alcyone had fallen asleep. "You've got to be kidding me." he mumbled as he picked her up and carried her to her room. He met Photon in the hallway who laughed at Simon.

"Oh, shut up." Simon whispered, rolling his eyes, although it only made Photon laugh harder. "Tell you what, Photon, if you stop laughing now and help me here, I'll get you a voice tomorrow. Deal?"

Photon immediately came to Simon's aid, voice or not, Simon was his friend.

After Alcyone had been tucked in Simon returned to his balcony and began to stare up at the stars again. Photon jumped onto Simon's shoulders and stared up with him.

Simon began to pet the cat, but he frowned when he heard a silent purr come from his shoulder and noticed that Photon had fallen asleep.

"You have got to be kidding me." Simon whispered, shaking his head as he stared up at the stars, still stroking the large ears of the cat sleeping on his shoulders.

THE END

* * *

 **Phew, the last chapter has ended. Anyhow, you all know what this means, Zoniborn's up next. I'll update the original Epilogue when the third installment in the series begins, it's set in the Sonic universe. Trust me, it'll all make sense later.**

 **Anyhow, a thank you to everone who has read, reviewed, favorited or followed this story, and last but not least, the disclaimer:**

* * *

 **Ratchet & Clank and all associated characters, weapons, etc belong to Incomniac Games and Sony**

 **Star Fox and all associated characters, weapons, etc belong to Nintendo**

 **I only own the characters and the plot of Epilogue 2**

 **Furthermore, the following OC's introduced in the story belong to the following people:**

 **Zenit - Zenith88**

 **Hanna Eris - Heather**

 **Nebula AKA Cora Keene - Jadzia Ezri Dax**

 **Samantha Lilith Starlight & Zeta - Zeta warrior 16**

 **Bob Dynamite - saviour of worlds**

 **Tiger's Eye - TigersEyeTheGemCat**

* * *

 **Alright, I hope I'll see you all in Epilogue 3! Until it begins, I'll update Zoniborn and True Heroes to keep you all entertained. Anyhow, once again, thank you all for reading!  
**


	19. Heads up, Epilogue fans!

**Heads up, Epilogue fans! I'm back with a new story, Epilogue 2.5, found in the Ratchet & Clank archive! (Hopefully) see you all there!**

 **Also, I'm very, very thankful for all of the views my stories have been getting. So, if you're reading this, thank you!**

 **-The White Guardian**


	20. Epilogue 3 is finally starting!

**Hello everyone, TWG here. I just want to let you all know that the way overdue third installment in the Epilogue series is finally starting.**

 **Head over to the Ratchet & Clank / Sonic The Hedgehog crossover section to find it.**

 **I hope the long wait hasn't killed the hype - as this message proves, I'm still here, people! And I am going to finish this story, too!**

 **I hope you're all still here and that my long absence hasn't caused any of you to give up on this series. Either way, you all have had to wait for long enough for this story series to get going again, so I won't hold you all up any longer.**

 **Please forgive me for my long absence, and I hope you'll all enjoy Epilogue 3!**


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